Fete St. Jeanne 1961 - 1962

Editor: We’re looking at “Fete St. Jeanne,” a mixed-media print by Karl Kasten from around 1961-62. It feels...almost like looking through a rain-streaked window. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes. That rain-streaked quality...I love that. It reminds me of memory itself, how details blur and reshape over time. Kasten was deeply involved in Abstract Expressionism, a movement which, for me, captures this inner world in a way. Look at how the blues and reds struggle to emerge from the dominant green—doesn’t that mirror the way joy fights through melancholy in life? Or, perhaps, Jeanne's strength fighting societal expectation? Editor: That's beautiful, the way you connected the colors to emotions and maybe even the title. But is that just us imposing our own feelings? Curator: Well, art is a conversation, isn't it? It is an ongoing exchange between the artist's intention, which we can never fully know, and our personal experiences. Kasten uses printmaking techniques in such a layered, textured way. Notice how some parts appear almost scraped away, revealing the support. This "revealing" becomes an active act in the piece and creates depth. Editor: So it’s okay if I feel something completely different when I look at it? Curator: Absolutely! I feel there's always an invitation into our inner lives as viewers. It is a deeply reflective thing and should remain unique to everyone. What has been stirred up in you? What has it invited from within? Editor: This makes the artwork way more interesting now! I initially felt confusion, but thinking about memory and inner landscapes is helpful. Curator: Wonderful! To be clear, art is nothing more than one subjective feeling meeting another subjective feeling... it all flows from there.