[no title] 1950

Curator: Here we have an untitled print by the constructivist artist Naum Gabo. Though undated, we can assume it comes from later in his career. Editor: My initial impression is one of stark simplicity. The brown ink creates a somber mood, while the lines suggest a shape struggling to emerge. Curator: Gabo was interested in expressing space and volume through geometric form, influenced by math and science. These lines may symbolize a spatial structure. Editor: His constructivist peers were associated with Russian revolutionary politics. Does this work, so austere, reflect that heritage in some way? Is it about paring down imagery? Curator: Perhaps, but Gabo’s brand of constructivism was always more spiritual. He often talked about "inner rhythms" and "kinetic energy", rather than social reform. Editor: That's a useful reminder. So the power of this work resides in its capacity to visualize the invisible forces that move us. Curator: Exactly. For Gabo, art could reveal the underlying architecture of the universe. Editor: I see that now. It's a delicate balance between form and feeling.