Horizontal VIII 1962

Editor: So, this is "Horizontal VIII" by Morris Louis, painted in 1962. It's… well, it’s literally horizontal stripes. Two groupings of them. The colors are saturated but feel… serious, almost somber. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Somber, you say? I find it strangely joyful, like looking at a tightly edited rainbow. Louis was fascinated with the pure act of pouring paint, letting the colors stain the canvas without any brushstrokes. He called it "unfurled." The raw canvas *becomes* part of the work, doesn't it? Editor: I guess I'm not getting that… unfurling, then! The negative space feels more like a background. Did Louis have a particular meaning in mind, or were these works meant to be more about the *experience* of color? Curator: Meaning can be overrated, don’t you think? This piece emerged during an exciting time for Colour Field Painting – a way for artists to create visual experiences without the constraints of narrative or representation. Instead, the focus becomes the sensation of color and form. It is, in essence, painting for painting's sake! What colors strike you as the most vibrant, personally? Editor: Probably the orange in the upper band, and the yellow below. They feel warmer, compared to the blues and greens. Okay, I’m starting to see it a little differently…not so somber anymore, just…concentrated. Curator: Exactly! Louis captured a visual equivalent of a chord. Now I wonder what it would be like if these chords rang, and not sat quiet in this painting... Editor: It's interesting to think about painting being almost musical in a way, and certainly not narrative! I think I appreciate "unfurling" as an idea more now, thanks!