[no title] 1978

Editor: This work by John Piper features two landscape studies in ink and wash. I’m struck by the contrast between the solidity of the rocks and the fluidity of the washes. What formal elements stand out to you? Curator: The spatial relationships are ambiguous, aren't they? Consider the interplay between the drawn line and the areas of tonal wash. Note how the artist uses these elements to create a sense of depth and mass, yet simultaneously flattens the picture plane. Editor: So it's the tension between these contrasting techniques that defines the artwork? Curator: Precisely. The materiality of the ink and wash, juxtaposed with the suggested weight of the rocks, generates a fascinating formal dialogue. Editor: I see that now. It's a compelling combination. Curator: Indeed, a successful synthesis of opposing visual languages.