Matter of Identity I 1963

Editor: So, this is Bernard Cohen's "Matter of Identity I," created in 1963. It's a mixed-media painting, and what strikes me most is the almost diagrammatic feel, with all the different sections and connecting lines. What’s your take on it? Curator: What interests me immediately is Cohen's apparent obsession with the act of making. Note the use of mixed media. It’s not just about the image, but also about the *process* of image-making laid bare. Think about the period - early 60s - a real questioning of artistic tradition, particularly regarding what is "high art" versus craft. Editor: So, you're saying the *how* is as important as the *what*? The mixed media is him challenging artistic norms? Curator: Exactly! Look at the repetitive geometric patterns and the linear networks overlaid on the various painted sections. It hints at mass production, almost an embrace of the industrial era but done by hand. Consider what this piece suggests about the artist’s labour - it challenges our ideas about skill and individual artistry, doesn't it? Does this resonate with post-war Britain to you? Editor: I see that, yes. It feels like he’s dismantling the idea of the artist as this singular genius, in favour of a more constructed, almost engineered approach. Curator: And this construction mirrors societal structures and control, through labour and materiality. The individual elements don't function independently; they're tied to the system. Does thinking about that idea shift your view of it now? Editor: Absolutely. I initially saw a somewhat chaotic composition, but now I appreciate how deliberately Cohen uses the materials and the grid to examine something much bigger, not just within the art world. Curator: Indeed, this work asks us to reconsider value - not just the aesthetic value of the artwork itself, but also the value we place on materials, production, and even the artist’s role. Editor: This has totally changed my understanding. It is not chaos but about a controlled study of what it means to make. Thanks for sharing that with me!