Claudia 1975

Curator: Here we have Norman Bluhm's "Claudia," an acrylic and matter painting from 1975. It's a beautiful example of Abstract Expressionism. I find it to be quite energetic and dynamic. The scale feels grand. What are your first thoughts? Editor: I am really drawn to the layering of colors; the purple and blue seem to be in conversation, separated by forms created with white paint, some of which drip down the canvas. The eye sort of bounces around the painting as a result. How would you interpret the relationship between the colors and shapes? Curator: Observe how Bluhm orchestrates the color fields. Note the interplay between the defined shapes, and the gestural marks – drips and splatters. Do you see how they create a tension between intention and chance? He seems to invite the unpredictable while maintaining compositional control. Editor: That makes sense. I didn't really consider the splatters as being intentional. I suppose I considered the use of color and these other elements to create this energy but not a sense of the tension that emerges as a result of their arrangement. Curator: Exactly! It is in the structural and material qualities, the synthesis of line, form, and color that the piece reveals its artistic intention. Can you imagine this piece with any different colours, say shades of grey or shades of yellow? How might the forms play with different combinations? Editor: It would feel totally different! Shades of gray might drain its vibrancy, whereas yellow would bring a different, brighter energy. I can see that it is how the artist used the colours and his particular painting style which work together. Thanks for pointing this out, as well as discussing intention and accident within this piece. I will certainly have to consider this in the future! Curator: A rewarding analysis. It’s a testament to Bluhm’s skillful mastery of the medium.