Jericho 1969

Editor: Here we have Barnett Newman’s "Jericho," painted in 1969 with oil on canvas. It's primarily a dark triangle bisected by a stark, red line. Initially, it strikes me as… powerful, but also strangely simple. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a deliberate reduction, a distillation of form down to its bare essentials, loaded with symbolic potential. That dark, expansive field… almost absorbs light, doesn't it? It reminds me of the primordial void, that potential space before creation. And then, the "zip"– that single vertical line– it’s a division, yes, but also a connection, a bringing-together. Do you feel that tension? Editor: I do, now that you mention it. Like the potential for creation, or destruction. It makes me think of a doorway, or a barrier. Curator: Precisely! The colour choice, the dark field and that bold red line... consider its cultural connotations. Red, historically, has signified so many potent things–blood, sacrifice, passion, anger… even life itself. Newman’s "zip" isn't just a visual element, it's a concentrated charge of symbolic energy. Think of how it contrasts and interacts with the deep void. What do you make of that relationship? Editor: That single red line against the dark field demands all of the viewer's attention; the stark simplicity is quite powerful. I can almost see it as the moment of creation— that instant of breaking apart darkness. Curator: Exactly! He has named the painting 'Jericho', reminding us of the Biblical story where walls came down. It could be a promise that the viewer, contemplating such an intense artwork, might likewise break down some interior wall and encounter change. A potent image! Editor: It certainly provides a lot to ponder. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure; this has opened up a fresh perspective for me as well!