Paradox II 1975

Curator: Derek Hirst, born in 1930, created this piece, Paradox II. It's part of the Tate Collection. The image dimensions are 533 by 533 millimeters. Editor: It hits you right away—that square in the middle. The colors are so vibrant. It feels like a window, almost, but onto what? Curator: Hirst's work often explored geometric abstraction and how different forms interact within a given space. One must wonder about the printmaking process. Editor: It is definitely about how the institution of the gallery creates a space where the public can question the reality of abstract art. But it still needs to be produced. Curator: Consider the materiality of the ink itself, the labor involved in creating such precise lines, and the socio-economic implications of producing and consuming art in this manner. Editor: Do you think Hirst was trying to convey a sense of tension between order and chaos, the structured and the unstructured? Curator: Perhaps, and to highlight how the act of creation itself plays into the viewer’s experience. Editor: It certainly provokes a reaction, a kind of visual puzzle that reflects how we give meaning to these objects through art history itself. Curator: Indeed, and to examine how the choices made in its making shape our understanding.