Untitled 1970

Curator: Standing before us is Helen Pashgian’s "Untitled" sculpture, created in 1970. It’s made of resin, forming a perfect sphere. What are your immediate impressions? Editor: Well, it's like gazing into a cosmic marble, isn’t it? All swirling colors hinting at something beyond its smooth surface. Sort of makes you want to pick it up, roll it around, and see what visions appear. Curator: The piece fits perfectly within the Light and Space movement. Pashgian was fascinated by how light interacts with industrial materials like resin. The surface tension and opacity are carefully controlled during its crafting. Editor: Exactly, and that’s where the magic happens. The translucence invites us to question what’s real and what’s merely a play of light. Do you think its geometric shape evokes an alien planet about to visit earth? Curator: The sphere's pure form does draw comparisons to celestial objects. Yet, the social context during its creation is interesting: think about post-minimalism's focus on phenomenological experience, its interest in surface versus depth... Pashgian’s choices become less about symbolic content and more about an object’s inherent qualities. Editor: Hmm, makes sense. It’s more about raw perception, isn't it? Still, one can’t help but wonder, while the artists work to offer a direct and unfiltered sensation; is that ultimately what viewers perceive, or is meaning inextricably projected regardless of intention? Curator: Perhaps it's both. There is intentionality in process alongside the potential for individual readings, and by investigating those production methods, maybe that's where the fun really starts! Editor: Fun, and illuminating. I am looking at it with a slightly different sense now, thanks to that context, thanks! Curator: The piece offers an open invitation, though; what stands out to you will undoubtedly differ. Editor: Definitely something worth meditating on during our visit here today!