Autumn Suite C 1970

Conrad Marca-Relli made this artwork, “Autumn Suite C”, using collage. The muted palette is so sophisticated, the grey backdrop playing off the blacks, whites and browns. It's that kinda understated cool you get in the fall, when the leaves are droppin' but it ain't bleak yet, y'know? I'm really drawn to the material quality of the shapes, like they've been torn or cut from different surfaces. The brown section looks almost like coarse sandpaper, and has a little black void within it. I’m curious to know how Marca-Relli chose the materials he did, what he had to hand. The white shapes are placed as though dancing around the darker forms, creating a sense of depth and movement in the composition. It reminds me of how Joan Miró used to play with shapes and colors. Art's just a big conversation, isn't it? And it's never really finished, which is the fun of it.