Meun 1968

Editor: So this is "Meun," a mixed media piece on paper created by Simon Hantai in 1968. The strong blue shapes against the plain background… it feels both bold and strangely incomplete. What do you make of it? Curator: It's compelling, isn’t it? Hantai's work invites us to consider the very nature of painting, particularly through the lens of historical and political upheaval. Think about the context: 1968. A year of global protest, questioning of authority, and a rejection of traditional structures. Editor: You're saying the painting embodies those protests? Curator: In a way, yes. Hantai's "Meun" series exemplifies his departure from traditional painting methods. His famous "pliage" technique involved crumpling and folding the canvas before painting, then unfolding it to reveal a pattern. It’s almost like an artistic parallel to deconstruction – challenging established norms. Editor: The canvas being crumpled seems violent, like a disruption. But then there is this almost serene abstraction. Curator: Precisely! He challenges the dominant, often patriarchal, narratives of art history. Are the absences of colour as important as the parts which are present? What assumptions do we bring as viewers, and are those assumptions disrupted by the work? Editor: That’s a lot to consider! It almost reframes how I was initially reacting. Curator: That disruption, that challenge to our expectations, is key to understanding its impact. He questions not just artistic conventions but the societal structures that underpin them. Editor: Seeing it as part of that bigger picture, not just shapes and colour, is so important. Curator: Absolutely, understanding the social and historical context opens new avenues of interpretation and adds depth to the experience.