Crossing Road 1986

Editor: So, here we have Jean Miotte's "Crossing Road," painted in 1986 using acrylic paint. I'm struck by the chaotic energy of the brushstrokes. It feels very immediate, almost like an explosion frozen in time. What do you see in this piece, especially considering its historical context? Curator: The "chaotic energy" is key. Miotte emerged during a period of intense artistic questioning. After the dominance of rigid, formalist abstraction, artists were pushing back, exploring more subjective and gestural approaches. Consider Abstract Expressionism's influence and its focus on individual expression and the artist’s psyche, how do you see Miotte engaging with that legacy? Editor: Well, I see that, like Abstract Expressionists, he’s prioritizing gesture and the act of painting itself. There's no clear subject, just pure expression. But it feels… different somehow? Maybe less burdened by the weight of existential angst? Curator: Exactly! The 1980s saw a resurgence of interest in painting, but often with a critical eye on the past. "Crossing Road," in its dynamism, reflects the frenetic energy of the art market at the time. Could Miotte be critiquing the commodification of Abstract Expressionism, almost playfully embracing the grand gesture? The title is very interesting, and maybe suggesting transitions, crossing into a new decade with all the burdens and successes that had preceded him? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't thought about it as a commentary on the art market itself. It’s like he’s acknowledging the history but refusing to be constrained by it. He’s ‘crossing’ into something new. Curator: Precisely. The artwork then becomes a social document, reflecting a specific cultural moment. What's interesting is Miotte does so without direct representation or obvious social critique, operating in the language of form and gesture to comment on the politics of imagery and market trends. Editor: This has really changed how I see the painting. I was initially drawn to the pure energy, but now I see a dialogue with art history and even a commentary on the art world. Curator: Indeed. It’s in considering these layers that an abstract painting reveals a rich engagement with the world beyond the canvas. It is after all one road to cross.