Somerville 14 1976

Curator: Carl Chiarenza's "Somerville 14," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a fascinating interplay of dark and light. Editor: My initial reaction is that it evokes a landscape, perhaps a shoreline at night, where the stark contrast creates an unsettling, almost dreamlike atmosphere. Curator: The lack of clear representational forms invites us to consider archetypes: the abyss, the threshold, the primordial soup perhaps. The dripping effect could represent the veil between worlds. Editor: Indeed, the vertical striations create an internal rhythm, guiding the eye upward, while the textured lower portion anchors the composition. The interplay between the fluid shapes and rigid lines is quite compelling. Curator: And what of the single dark shape in the lower portion, almost a face? I see reflections of our collective unconscious. Editor: While I'm drawn to the surface itself, the photographic process. It pushes against easy interpretation and embraces abstraction. Curator: It seems we find ourselves at opposite ends of the spectrum, yet both are valid readings of Chiarenza's enigmatic creation. Editor: Perhaps that is its strength.