Untitled (Torn Clouds) 1975

Curator: Joe Goode's "Untitled (Torn Clouds)," a mixed-media piece created in 1975, invites a dialogue between the canvas and what lies beneath, or perhaps beyond. Editor: It's immediately striking. The peach and orange hues feel warm, like a fading sunset, but the tears disrupt that peacefulness. There's a sense of something missing, or being deliberately removed. Curator: Goode came of age artistically in 1960s Los Angeles, a time of both creative freedom and social upheaval. The California landscape, particularly the sky, became a recurring motif in his work, often explored through unconventional approaches. The "torn" series, to which this piece belongs, directly confronts traditional landscape painting. Editor: Right. And in terms of visual politics, what does it mean to present a landscape, a sky no less, in this fragmented way? Is he pointing to the instability of nature itself, perhaps in response to growing environmental concerns in the '70s? Curator: That’s a compelling interpretation. The torn canvas could symbolize damage, yes, but also the constructed nature of how we perceive and represent the environment. Think of the role images play in shaping public understanding of ecological issues. Editor: The layering and disruption almost feel like a metaphor for information overload. We’re constantly bombarded with images of both beauty and destruction; perhaps this work visualizes how those conflicting narratives tear at our collective consciousness. What sort of conversations was he engaging in at the time of its creation? Curator: The work aligns with post-minimalist tendencies, where process and materiality were central. Goode was questioning the illusionistic space of painting by literally breaking the surface, revealing the support structure and the wall behind. He exhibited alongside artists engaged in similar dialogues about form, space, and perception, particularly concerning where a work begins and ends in dialogue to what exists around it. Editor: It's fascinating how a seemingly simple gesture – tearing the canvas – can open up such a wealth of interpretations about art, society, and our relationship with the environment. I am also seeing a strong relation with similar trends and approaches by contemporary artists. Curator: Exactly, and that's the lasting power of Goode's "Torn Clouds." It remains a potent commentary on representation, perception, and the ever-evolving dialogue between art and the world around us.