Rowing Alone 1962

Editor: This is Paul Shaub's "Rowing Alone," created in 1962 using linocut, I think. It’s such a somber image, really stripped down, just the boat and rower in this vast expanse of water. What do you see in it? Curator: I see a piece deeply embedded in the social anxieties of the early 1960s. This lone figure resonates with the rising tide of existentialism, reflecting the individual’s isolation in a rapidly changing world. Think about the Cold War, the threat of nuclear annihilation. Doesn't that silhouette evoke a sense of vulnerability and quiet desperation amidst those larger geopolitical currents? Editor: Definitely. The starkness of the linocut, its monochrome palette… it amplifies that feeling of isolation, doesn’t it? But does the medium itself contribute to that feeling beyond just the color? Curator: Absolutely. The roughness inherent in linocut printmaking – those visible tool marks – mirrors the harsh realities of the time. It wasn't a polished, idealized world, and the artwork reflects that through its deliberate lack of refinement. How might public perception of art have shaped Shaub's artistic choices and message? Editor: I guess that the more raw execution challenges traditional aesthetic expectations, which mirrors society’s disillusionment with established norms. It’s like Shaub is saying, "This is the real, unvarnished truth.” Curator: Precisely. Consider too, the public role of art at the time. Was it to soothe, or to provoke? "Rowing Alone" clearly aligns with the latter. A potent reminder that art is not just decoration but a carrier of societal anxieties and critical perspectives. Editor: It makes you rethink simple aesthetic appreciation, doesn't it? There's so much more at play in shaping our understanding of even the loneliest boat. Curator: Exactly. Art and society are perpetually intertwined.