Red - Diptych 

Editor: Here we have "Red - Diptych" by Małgorzata Serwatka, made using acrylic paint and impasto techniques. The bold red against the dark background is very striking. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see an interesting conversation about materiality and symbolism playing out within a very specific socio-political context: the contemporary art market. Red, of course, is loaded with historical and political meaning - passion, revolution, even danger. But how does that color interact with the abstract expressionist style here? Editor: I guess the energetic lines keep it from feeling purely symbolic? It seems like it's more about the artist's process? Curator: Exactly. Abstract Expressionism, born from post-war angst, privileged the artist's gesture. The impasto adds a tactile quality, pushing back against purely representational or symbolic readings. Consider the role of art institutions too. What kind of artistic statement is accepted, encouraged and validated by the market at any given point? A diptych format adds to the dialog doesn't it? How do these paintings respond to one another? Editor: Definitely, the two panels change the impact; they relate but are not quite the same. And I suppose, in the context of the contemporary market, an artist's individual expression becomes a valuable commodity in itself. Curator: Precisely. Think about how the "authenticity" of the artist’s gesture is then packaged and sold, arguably turning rebellious expression into a form of cultural capital. Editor: That’s a really interesting and complicated idea. I didn’t expect to think about the art market in this way! Curator: Art and social structures influence each other in complicated ways. Analyzing art through these forces definitely enhances one's appreciation of what could have been missed.