Eventail a la Cerise 1962

Editor: This is Genevieve Asse’s "Eventail a la Cerise," created in 1962. It’s a watercolor painting. It evokes a sense of quiet stillness, almost like a faded memory. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a deliberate engagement with postwar anxieties, specifically concerning visibility and representation within abstraction. Asse, a female artist working in a male-dominated field, perhaps is subtly commenting on the notion of being seen, or rather, partially seen. The 'cherry' could represent a suppressed feminine identity, struggling to emerge through the blue wash, symbolic of imposed societal constraints. Editor: So, the haziness is part of the statement? I was wondering about the composition. Curator: Precisely. Consider the cultural backdrop: France in the early 60s. The lingering trauma of WWII, coupled with evolving gender roles, created a tension. Abstraction, especially watercolor, became a vehicle for conveying nuanced emotions and political undertones, especially for female artists who needed to work within socially acceptable boundaries. Does the singular cherry speak to themes of isolation, of the singular experiences of women at the time? Editor: That's fascinating. I was mainly focusing on the formal aspects. I didn't realize how much the socio-political context influences its interpretation. Curator: Art doesn't exist in a vacuum. The choices Asse makes regarding color and form must be read as products of, and responses to, her time. Editor: Thanks for the insight. I’ll definitely look at abstract art with fresh eyes now. Curator: And hopefully question whose stories are represented – or erased – in these seemingly apolitical artworks.