Alvéoles 1972

Editor: This is "Alvéoles," a 1972 mixed-media piece by Pierre Alechinsky. It's comprised of many different abstract forms on a dark ground and divided into sixteen distinct boxes, almost like a comic book. The imagery feels very primal and dreamlike, don't you think? What stands out to you? Curator: Indeed. I see a conscious tapping into the reservoir of archetypes. Alechinsky, steeped in Art Informel, explores the subconscious through the language of symbols. Consider the cellular-like compartments – alvéoles translates to “sockets” or “cavities.” Each one cradles a unique visual poem, echoing primal, perhaps even uterine, spaces. Does the recurrence of zoomorphic figures strike you? Editor: Yes, definitely. I see fish-like and bird-like shapes. Are these common symbols? Curator: Throughout art history, animal forms represent instinct, the untamed aspects of our psyche. The fish often symbolizes the subconscious depths, while birds represent aspiration, freedom, the soaring spirit. Alechinsky plays with these loaded symbols. And look at the vibrancy amidst the dark void – acrylic allows for that immediacy, that almost feverish application. How does that energetic juxtaposition affect your understanding of the work? Editor: It makes me feel like these forms are fighting their way out of the darkness. It feels very energetic. The choice of medium conveys intensity. Curator: Precisely! Alechinsky masterfully orchestrates a battle between chaos and order, light and dark, the conscious and the unconscious, leaving us to decode the symbolic fragments he presents. Each viewing reveals fresh connections and potential meanings. Editor: It's fascinating to consider the multiple layers of symbolism within each cell, and then how they interact across the whole piece. Curator: Yes. Now I'm considering art informel's ties to subconscious visual representation.