Mauritania c. 20th century

Curator: Jean-Michel Atlan, a key figure in post-war abstraction, painted this untitled work, sometimes referred to as "Mauritania." Editor: Wow, it feels like a strange, beautiful puzzle. Dark outlines hugging these soft, muted shapes. Curator: Atlan’s background is crucial here. As a Jewish Algerian intellectual in Paris, his experience of displacement and identity certainly informed his art. Editor: I get that. It’s both solid and fragmented. Those earthy colors—red, brown, a touch of blue—they feel ancient, like unearthed artifacts. Curator: Yes, and Atlan, influenced by both Surrealism and his own North African heritage, sought to create a universal visual language. Editor: It's heavy with unspoken stories, this one. The shapes could be anything, or maybe everything. It sticks with you. Curator: Absolutely. Atlan gives us the space to contemplate the personal and the political through this abstract composition. Editor: I'm just going to let it sit with me a bit longer. The mood is very captivating.