Ascending Horizon 1995

Curator: Looking at us is JCJ Vanderheyden’s “Ascending Horizon,” created in 1995. At first glance, it appears as a hard-edged exploration of simple geometric shapes. Editor: It gives me a feeling of expansive serenity. That pure blue… it’s like staring directly into the sky, while the cool white hints at infinite space or possibility. There's an undeniable calming quality. Curator: Vanderheyden was very interested in systems and technology and how we process images through them, with a deep commitment to accessible and economical artistic expression. It’s tempting to see the hand of Minimalism in its production, the clarity of line and flatness denying traditional artistic gesture. But its concern with human perception is key. Editor: Interesting that you bring up "perception," as I see a strong spiritual or even religious symbolism embedded in these minimalist forms. Blue often symbolizes the heavens, truth, and clarity, while white suggests purity and illumination. The ascending horizon—the title itself— evokes a sense of spiritual yearning or enlightenment. It speaks to the symbolic language of landscape as well, particularly as these kinds of abstracted geometric landscapes become popular. Curator: I'd like to know about the materials. Knowing about production would provide deeper context here. Vanderheyden himself believed art should be affordable, so I am keen to research what type of paints or perhaps even industrial materials he favored at this time. Editor: True, there's certainly a connection between his ideals and artistic output. It highlights how a simplified visual language, free of excessive adornment, can convey profound meaning about cultural understandings of space and what lies beyond. Curator: His focus was really on democratizing vision itself, and art was one way to achieve this, via technology and mass production of these types of landscape abstractions. It reminds us to consider how technology and vision combine in his creative production, disrupting any assumptions around genius or a gifted hand guiding his work. Editor: I appreciate how both of our interpretations enrich this rather understated artwork. You've grounded my flights of fancy within the concrete reality of artistic production, and hopefully, I've drawn your attention to some subtle symbolic complexities.