Sixth Image for J 1976

Curator: Bernard Cohen, born in 1933, created this artwork, "Sixth Image for J," and it's now part of the Tate Collections. Editor: It feels like looking at faded memories, or maybe the ghost of technology – the past trying to communicate through a screen. Curator: Indeed. Cohen's known for layering, for building up these semi-transparent planes, creating a sense of depth and movement all at once. Editor: I keep coming back to the shapes. They're almost human, but abstracted, set within a geometric framework. Do you think they're meant to be portraits of some kind? Curator: Perhaps not literal portraits, but representations of the self, explored through the lens of experience. The title, "Sixth Image for J," suggests this could be a part of a series, a visual exploration. Editor: It’s intriguing how he uses such a limited palette to suggest so much complexity, there’s an almost diagrammatic quality to it all. Curator: There's definitely a deliberate intention. It all adds up to a feeling that the piece is a type of personal code, but the code's been lost. Editor: Ultimately, it’s about the mystery, the invitation to participate in the decoding. I think it’s that pull that makes it so compelling.