aquarelle No. 1033 

Curator: Welcome. We are looking at "aquarelle No. 1033" by Maurice Esteve. A vibrant abstract painting in watercolor. Editor: It's playful. The colours are joyful, and the composition makes me think of deconstructed toys stacked precariously high. There is this real sense of childlike experimentation with shape and color. Curator: The geometric shapes, reminiscent of Cubism, certainly bring an analytical approach. I’m particularly drawn to how Esteve uses colour to create depth despite the flatness of the watercolor medium. Note how these geometric elements, are, in fact, carefully balanced across the canvas. The push and pull. Editor: That use of colour, while seemingly arbitrary, feels culturally rich. There’s a hint of Fauvism. This unrestrained application of pure color transcends its visual appeal. Esteve created a playground. You are drawn to its history, I wonder how its appearance might be different were the materials digital rather than water and pigment. Curator: Absolutely. Watercolours in their translucence suggest a fluidity that speaks directly to the Fauvist rejection of Impressionistic naturalism. Furthermore, the layering creates unique textures. One wonders what underlying structures dictated these visual motifs. Semiotic interpretation is necessary here; this is obviously a coded message, that relies on the subjective viewer for resolution. Editor: Interesting. To consider a shift toward abstraction occurring during this period within broader social dialogues. Abstraction offers us a moment outside, that removes one’s self from, traditional hierarchical image structure. Who does an image like this now serve when compared to then. Curator: That consideration adds to my reading of Esteve’s practice and artistic language, particularly the interplay between structure and spontaneous brushwork. The work moves through these moments seamlessly, a tension of process and visual result. Editor: It provides us space, in the very least, to consider those larger notions and their implications in visual culture. Thank you. Curator: Indeed, an enriching glimpse into a very pivotal moment in modernist experimentation.