Attraction II 1896

Curator: Let's turn our attention now to Edvard Munch's "Attraction II," an etching created in 1896. The print is dominated by two profiles facing each other, rendered in a haunting monochrome. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the swirling energy, that palpable pull between these figures. Their gazes are locked, almost like magnets, yet there’s an undercurrent of anxiety... Curator: Absolutely, and the way Munch utilizes the etching technique emphasizes this tension. Look at the cross-hatching and the rough, almost frenzied lines – the materials and processes are key. These weren’t clean, polished surfaces; they betray the labour involved in creation, they feel raw and unfiltered. Editor: It's like catching a fleeting thought. Or a secret look loaded with yearning. You can almost feel the intensity radiating off the page. It’s amazing how he captures such intimacy through stark lines and shadowy forms. The circular shapes between them almost create a visual vibration... Curator: Consider the context. This piece, like many of Munch's works, grapples with themes of love, anxiety, and death which were ever-present in the burgeoning modernism and anxieties regarding traditional expectations regarding the consumption of relationships. Etching itself was experiencing a rise in popularity at this time because printmaking made his art available and relatively cheap for those that needed art. It enabled an experience. Editor: Absolutely. I am just drawn to how the lines mirror one another as well as contrast! The way those soft contours almost become brittle right before your eyes. I guess in the end this work always makes me remember relationships in general. Curator: In essence, it prompts consideration of relationships under capitalism through his expressive method for consumption which, again, highlights production's relation to feelings. Thank you. Editor: A captivating snapshot into the complicated currents that pull us all. Thank you!