Three Rebels (Trois désordinateurs) 1967

Curator: Let’s take a look at Pierre Alechinsky's "Three Rebels," created in 1967. This vibrant work is a complex blend of etching, collage, and ink drawing. Editor: My initial reaction is organized chaos. The figures are bursting with energy, but contained, like a mischievous secret society. What medium is most prominent, do you think? Curator: Predominantly, the red ink etching defines the figures. Alechinsky then layers collage and additional inks to enrich the texture. I find it interesting how he challenges the notion of printmaking as purely reproducible—each impression takes on a unique, almost painterly quality. Editor: Absolutely, it feels like a singular event, rather than a standardized process. Look at how the green splashes behind them create this aura of wild growth. Are these rebels in nature or society? Curator: Good question! Given Alechinsky's involvement with the Cobra group, we can examine his approach to automatism and spontaneity, in part through these works which aimed to liberate artmaking from rational constraints, much like rebelling against artistic norms. Editor: You know, thinking about liberating norms…those figures have almost an anatomical diagram feeling to me, but softened with dream-like twists. Rebellion inside the body? Curator: I see what you mean. And note his use of readily available materials: paper, ink, etching plates, reflecting how postwar artists democratized access to the means of art production. No fancy oils or marble here! Editor: There's also a really playful humor in their expressions—or what I interpret as expressions, these semi-abstract eyes staring from the sides of their heads…it’s intriguing, I wonder if Alechinsky wanted to engage the viewer to construct some alternate meanings here. Curator: Precisely. It avoids a clear, singular reading, instead fostering a dialogue. So, when considering the labor and the making of such layered pieces… Editor: ...it encourages us to rethink not just ‘what’ the rebels are doing but how their forms are literally constructed, built, deconstructed from layers. That really deepens it. Well, I see "Three Rebels" with new eyes. It has sparked some thought for me, rebellion, automatism... Curator: For me, thinking about the processes reveals layers not only in Alechinsky's piece, but how the social influences impacted the choices of the means for artistic construction and commentary of postwar sentiments.