1/2 Black 1976

Curator: Alan Green's "1/2 Black" splits the frame, doesn't it? Half dense charcoal, half, well, something softer. It feels like a visual haiku. Editor: My first thought is how deceptively simple it looks. The texture in each half is so different, you can almost feel the different materials used to create those shades. Curator: Exactly! There’s a tension in that split, a dialogue between textures, almost as if Green is inviting us to contemplate duality, the balance of light and dark. Editor: Or perhaps it is about the physicality of art-making. Look at how those vertical lines seem almost combed into the lighter section, juxtaposed against the woven effect on the other side. What was his process? Curator: It's like he's showing us two sides of the same coin, or perhaps two sides of himself. A constant negotiation between control and letting go. Editor: Agreed, and I'm left pondering the labour, the time embedded in those lines. It all speaks to a deep engagement with the act of creation. Curator: It's a quiet piece, but it vibrates with unspoken stories. Editor: Absolutely, a study in contrasts, indeed.