Untitled 1971

Editor: Here we have Harmony Hammond's "Untitled" from 1971, a mixed-media piece that combines painting and textile assemblage. I'm immediately struck by its tactile nature. It feels both chaotic and strangely balanced. What do you see in this piece, focusing on the visual elements? Curator: Primarily, I am drawn to the interplay between the flat, painted surface and the protruding textile elements. Consider how the composition uses the canvas not merely as a background, but as an active structural component, merging painting with sculptural form. Note, too, how the impasto layers of acrylic paint, in varying hues of white, red and blue, build up a textural field. Do you observe how the artist exploits this interplay of textures and forms to create a sense of visual tension and release? Editor: I see how the rough texture contrasts with the smoother painted areas, and how the dangling textiles seem to disrupt the picture plane, like a painting trying to escape its frame. Could you say more about what this tension might signify formally? Curator: Indeed, this disruption can be interpreted as a deconstruction of traditional painting conventions. By blurring the boundaries between painting and sculpture, the artwork questions the very definition of each medium. Note how the 'handles' at the top evoke a utilitarian object. Do you agree this undermines traditional hierarchies of art and object? Editor: Absolutely, it feels like a deliberate blurring of high and low art, which forces me to reconsider how I categorize art in my mind. Curator: Precisely. Through careful consideration of form and materiality, the artwork transcends simple representation and invites a deeper reflection on the nature of art itself. Editor: Thinking about its materiality and composition really helped me understand it better. It's more than just paint and fabric. Curator: Agreed. It’s a statement about redefining artistic boundaries.