IX 1976 - 1977

Curator: Ian Tyson's "IX" presents us with a stark arrangement of vertical bars against a dark background, the dimensions roughly 50 by 70 cm. What’s your initial take? Editor: It feels melancholic, almost like looking through bars, perhaps a window onto something fading or lost. Curator: The vertical lines resonate deeply, don’t they? In many cultures, verticality symbolizes aspiration, a connection between the earthly and the divine. Editor: Yes, the words listed down the right side—rouge, cloud, sweet, amorous, wound—feel like stages of a memory, each separated but connected by that stark black line. Curator: Exactly, a progression—or maybe a regression—through emotional states. The color palette is also suggestive. Editor: I find it interesting how the bars also create a sense of confinement, or maybe reflection. Curator: And the "IX" itself? A Roman numeral nine is often associated with completion, ending cycles. Editor: Leaving us to wonder what cycle has ended, what memories remain. It's somber, but thought-provoking.