Metaphor 1963

Editor: This is Robert Blackburn's print, "Metaphor," from the Harvard Art Museums. The shapes feel architectural and the dark palette makes me wonder about its title. What do you see when you look at this work? Curator: Observe how the artist deploys color and form to create a structured yet ambiguous space. Note the interplay between the geometric shapes and the textured surfaces. How do these formal elements guide your eye through the composition? Editor: I notice how the circle near the top left draws my eye, contrasting with all the sharp edges. Curator: Precisely. Consider the relationship between that curved form and the surrounding angular elements. How does that visual tension contribute to the overall meaning? Editor: It makes it dynamic, like the shapes are pushing and pulling. I never would have considered all these relationships on my own! Curator: And that is the point of close looking.