Ruby Pirouette c. 20th century

Editor: Here we have Margaret Fisher’s *Ruby Pirouette*, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s an abstract piece and, for me, it evokes feelings of swirling energy and perhaps even a sense of playful chaos. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful visual statement that challenges traditional notions of representation. Consider its possible creation during a period of significant social upheaval. How might Fisher be using abstraction to disrupt established hierarchies, perhaps even commenting on the restrictive roles imposed on women artists? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered a feminist reading. Curator: It's also worth exploring the intersections of abstraction with political radicalism. Could these swirling forms represent a breaking away from societal norms, a visual rebellion against the status quo? Editor: I like that, a painting as an act of resistance. It makes me see it in a totally different light. Curator: Exactly. Art is rarely created in a vacuum.