Grace Kelly III 1994

Editor: So, this is Imi Knoebel’s “Grace Kelly III” from 1994. It's a mixed-media work with acrylic paint. At first glance, the arrangement of colorful, geometric shapes creates a very orderly yet playful effect. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: What resonates with me are these distinct color relationships, how each individual panel uses its bounded geometry to recall…codes, almost. The overlaid borders create a nesting effect, where the eye looks for some central message. Do you think that this resonates at all with its title, “Grace Kelly”? Editor: I hadn’t considered that, but I see what you mean. Grace Kelly as a central, iconic figure encased and presented through imagery and glamour. It's interesting how Knoebel, associated with German Expressionism, creates something so minimal, so… controlled. Curator: Exactly! Perhaps Knoebel is showing us how figures are often reduced, abstracted to fit societal perceptions. The repetition itself emphasizes the manufacturing, the almost production-line nature of image creation. Each frame becomes a carefully coded version. Are you reminded of any specific symbolic color associations here? Editor: Well, the use of primary colors stands out. There’s a simplicity and directness that's pretty bold, almost childlike, even with all the careful geometry. It sort of pushes against the tragic element of her story – which, arguably, contributed to her iconic status as a figure. Curator: Precisely. The cultural memory persists and we, as viewers, interact with these coded segments. Each color invites personal narratives within this framework. The frame acts as an almost meditative threshold into color’s pure emotion. Editor: I see it now! So, what appeared like pure abstraction has a deeper, encoded layer – like the layers of meaning projected onto a famous figure! Curator: Precisely. A cultural echo presented with graphic clarity.