Seated Figure 1966

Curator: This is Frank Auerbach's "Seated Figure," a print from 1966. The dimensions are roughly 78 by 57 centimeters. Editor: It's stark. That harsh red against the deep black conveys a raw, almost tormented feeling. The figure seems trapped or exposed. Curator: Auerbach's process was very physical; he built up layers of paint, then scraped and reworked them. This print evokes that same sense of struggle with the material. Editor: The seated figure, often depicted as a symbol of authority or contemplation, is rendered here as vulnerable. The red could signify passion, anger, or even injury. Curator: Right, and consider the socio-political context of 1966. The anxieties of the Cold War, the burgeoning counterculture movement, all fed into a sense of unease reflected in works like this. Editor: Indeed, the symbolism of the seated figure becomes inverted, reflecting the anxieties of a changing world through the lens of personal experience and the artist's emotional response. Curator: Seeing the labor involved, the layering and scraping, tells a story beyond the image itself. Editor: It's a powerful piece that leaves us contemplating the meaning of being human.