"All the Work I Do Is in My Neck," Plate XIII 1965

Editor: This is Michael Mazur’s "All the Work I Do Is in My Neck," Plate XIII, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The frenetic lines make me feel a sense of anxiety and strain. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Note how the artist uses charcoal to create a strong contrast between light and shadow. The distorted features and the agitated mark-making contribute to the overall feeling of unease. It’s through these formal elements that the emotional weight is conveyed. Editor: So, the artist’s mark-making and use of light are central to the work's emotional impact? Curator: Precisely. The composition guides our eye and dictates our understanding of the subject's inner turmoil. The tension between representation and abstraction creates a visual metaphor for the work referenced in the title. Editor: That’s fascinating; I'll definitely pay closer attention to the formal qualities from now on.