Council 1963

Curator: This is "Council" by Rudy Pozzatti, created in 1963 using pen and ink on paper. What catches your eye? Editor: Immediately, the density and intensity strike me. These numerous faces, confined within circles, feel both watchful and trapped. There's an overwhelming sense of scrutiny, almost like surveillance. Curator: The circle, of course, is an ancient symbol. It represents wholeness, unity, but here, as you pointed out, it contains or restricts each individual. Editor: And the uniformity is unsettling. The men all appear rather similar, perhaps suggesting a homogenization of thought within these structures of power, historically dominated by men. Curator: Pozzatti often used classical themes and symbolic figures in his work, frequently with a satirical edge. The 'council' here, though composed of distinct individuals, evokes a sense of collective authority. I'd suggest there is both power and its limitation to it when you only allow very similar points of views into an "authoritative" room. Editor: I agree. And there’s a rawness in the linework that adds to this uneasy feeling. The portraits are rendered with a stark immediacy. What kind of commentary can be gleaned about American politics and social unrest at this time? Curator: Indeed. There's a stark simplicity here in Pozzatti's work that strips away ornamentation, getting down to the core of symbolic representation, a characteristic throughout his printmaking. By abstracting the features, Pozzatti transforms each face into something less personal, inviting broader interpretation of society's power and of authority. Editor: The pen and ink medium seems fitting for this subject matter. It brings a weightiness to a subject that many might not consider with seriousness, a kind of solemn deliberation, perhaps? "Council" appears particularly relevant given the sociopolitical and civic engagement unrest in our current historical moment. I find that both concerning and exciting when encountering pieces like these. Curator: I see your point. These men can be viewed not as authority figures but also perhaps ordinary ones, caught in something like a holding pattern. It seems that we find these particular faces throughout society, and throughout all historical moments. What strikes me, finally, is the tension of its lasting imagery within temporal concepts. Editor: Yes, the piece’s ability to spark such contemporary dialogues across social-historical planes highlights its enduring relevance and prompts important questions about who gets a seat at the table, both then and now.