Maio 68 (CRS-SS) II 1968

Curator: Look at this dynamic piece; it's Julio Pomar’s "Maio 68 (CRS-SS) II," created in 1968 using, it seems, acrylic on canvas. The artwork pulsates with unrest and energy. Editor: My immediate impression is controlled chaos. It feels almost violent, but contained within the frame. What do you make of that visual tension? Curator: It's compelling, isn't it? The layering of shapes and colors – the dominant blues and blacks especially – speak to the materials that create that effect. It reminds me of the silkscreen printing happening around that period for similar agitation artworks and flyers. Editor: The imagery for me evokes the helmets and shields of riot police. The forms almost resemble figures clashing, yet they are abstracted enough to suggest broader themes of social upheaval, that turmoil in French Society is well expressed in these symbols. Curator: Absolutely. And consider the title; 1968 was a pivotal year of protest. Knowing the year helps understand Pomar's raw treatment. It’s less about individual depiction, more about the churning dynamics of social movements and conflict expressed with this paintwork. Editor: So, this piece embodies the iconography of confrontation itself. You can almost feel the anxieties of those tumultuous months just through his imagery, not so subtle, but powerful. I wonder if the distortion reflects a fracturing of collective identity in those conflicts? Curator: That's a beautiful reading of it! What is identity without materials to define the expression of it? These shades used in 1968 for this message still remain relevant nowadays. The way Pomar worked with the materials, especially this expressive application of acrylic paint, amplifies this sense of disruption, which contributes so much. Editor: Thank you, understanding that aspect gives me an altered, expanded insight and an appreciation for its raw force. I came seeing a visual mess, but seeing it made that way. Curator: The blending of those ideas, really makes me look into it more. To me, that material expression paired with potent symbolism elevates it beyond just paint on canvas.