Rainbow 1968

Editor: This is "Rainbow" painted by Ralph Goings in 1968, using acrylic paint. It's a pretty striking image; the rainbow itself feels almost… manufactured? It doesn't have that natural arc; instead it falls as colorful cylinders from the sky. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, Goings, part of the Photo Realist movement, often played with images of Americana, capturing everyday scenes with sharp focus and precision. This image seems to depart from that trend, focusing instead on artificial representations of nature. Note how the "clouds" beneath are also intensely stylized, each rendered in distinct blocks of color. Editor: Right, they seem intentionally fake. Why go through the work to render something in such detail, but have it be obviously artificial? Curator: Consider the context of 1968. This was a time of tremendous social upheaval and questioning of established norms. Perhaps Goings is commenting on our manufactured realities, the way nature is filtered through advertising, popular culture, and mass media. The clean, bold colors suggest the commercial printing process. Editor: So, the rainbow, rather than being a symbol of hope and natural beauty, becomes a representation of manufactured ideals. What about the droplets at the top of the work? Curator: Excellent observation. Those droplets look less like actual water and more like decorations. This almost childlike illustration challenges the tradition of landscape art. Is it also questioning how consumerism influences our view of our environment? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. I was too caught up in the colorful art style and imagery! It's much more critical of our society than I originally thought. Curator: Exactly. By analyzing the historical context and considering the prevalent social issues, we can start to understand art’s social message, however complex. It reminds us how art is shaped by institutions of culture and reflects the issues within it. Editor: Thanks, that was really interesting. Now I'm looking at it from a completely new perspective.