A Illiers-Combray IV 1973 - 1974

Curator: Ian Tyson's "A Illiers-Combray IV" presents a mesmerizing field of dots against a dark ground. The image measures 865 by 660mm. Editor: It's quite striking. The regularity creates a visual tension, almost vibrating, doesn’t it? Curator: Exactly. Consider the process—the meticulous labor to create such uniformity. The implications of mechanical reproduction versus handcraft are central. Editor: Yes, but beyond the technique, there is this undeniable optical effect. The slight variations in the dots, the subtle shifts in color, generate depth and movement. Curator: And thinking about Combray, as in Proust’s town, what associations might Tyson be making with memory and repetition? Editor: Perhaps it's about the essence of memory distilled into simple, repetitive forms—a very elegant, formal study of perception. Curator: Indeed, it prompts us to think of art as a product of both labor and perception. Editor: It does, and at its core, it is a beautiful meditation on light, order, and form.