Composicion Concreta 1959

Curator: Welcome. We are looking at Sandu Darie’s "Composicion Concreta," created in 1959 using coloured pencils. Editor: My immediate reaction is that there is something deceptively simple and yet playful in its construction; it brings to mind mid-century design, though with an edge. Curator: Indeed. Darie, a pivotal figure in Cuban Concrete Art, utilizes these deceptively simple geometric shapes to propose new relationships. We might look at this work, through the lens of the modernist utopian project and how post-revolution artistic communities redefined ideas of liberation, identity, and community in very particular political times. Editor: Given the date and the materials, I'm fascinated by the handcrafting. It emphasizes process over illusionism. The coloured pencil marks create subtle textural variations. Curator: Consider Darie's emphasis on form and the rejection of symbolic meaning which reflects concrete art's broader aim of a universal visual language in the Post-War era. It mirrors a cultural longing for renewed dialogue amidst socio-political tensions of the era. Editor: Looking at the choice of a basic material, I'm struck by how Darie embraces accessibility and the idea of ‘art for all’ which ties into production within reach of any aspiring artist regardless of resource or station. It reconsiders art-making beyond conventional means. Curator: The colour palette here is also important, isn't it? The strategic use of blues, yellows, and reds might invoke a range of different interpretations depending on one’s own ideological positioning and background. Editor: True, though it's worth recognizing the inherent qualities in these colors as manufactured goods—the pigment creation, distribution. Its seemingly straightforward use points to broader questions concerning labor, industry, and visual consumption. Curator: It allows us to contemplate how artistic visions, even those seemingly non-referential, deeply connect with cultural, gendered, racial and sociopolitical factors shaping a particularly important moment. Editor: Absolutely. And that is how close attention to process helps to see connections to their world more clearly. Curator: Let's step aside, inviting all of you to find what this seemingly simple "Composicion Concreta" may inspire in your own reflection of history. Editor: Exactly, it prompts new thinking and engagement, encouraging you to see art, materiality, production, and design around you, within their social realities.