Untitled 1962

Curator: Here we have an "Untitled" work by Clyfford Still, created in 1962. It's an acrylic on canvas, currently residing here at SFMOMA. What's your initial take on it? Editor: Well, it hits you, doesn’t it? Like a primal scream translated into visual form. It's stark and unsettling—the massive black forms loom like jagged cliffs against that off-white ground. A splash of maroon provides an angry focal point. Curator: The vertical thrust of those forms is interesting, particularly given Still's aversion to any easily identifiable symbols. Yet, there's a monumental, almost totemic quality. Perhaps he's channeling something deeply archaic, a pre-linguistic emotional landscape. Editor: Exactly! Totemic is the right word. I sense a confrontation. Each vertical block feels like a stand-in for some powerful, unknowable force. The negative space becomes charged—a battleground, almost. The slivers of contrasting colors - that hint of blue, a speck of yellow - become whispers of something just beyond reach. Curator: Consider, too, the all-over composition. While there's a dominant cluster, no single point truly anchors the eye. This creates a sense of boundless space, mirroring, perhaps, the vastness of the psyche or even a geological landscape. Still wasn't interested in traditional perspective; he was aiming for something more immediate and visceral. Editor: Visceral is key. It bypasses the rational. It's not pretty, and maybe that's the point. Art as confrontation, a direct line to our collective unconsciousness. I find myself wrestling with it, not admiring it. The red square seems deliberately placed as the loudest part to demand my attention, but it's struggling to come out. Curator: Yes, wrestling is a good way to put it. Still wanted to evoke feeling and reaction, perhaps reflecting the post-war anxieties prevalent at the time. It's a reminder that art doesn’t always have to soothe; it can challenge and disturb. Editor: Well, it's certainly disturbed my morning routine! Seriously though, it makes you think about the weight of pure expression and how a canvas can hold so much unarticulated emotion. Thank you for shedding light on what it’s about! Curator: My pleasure, hopefully this has allowed some insight for others too, beyond their routine!