Untitled (Couple) 1950

Editor: Here we have Charles Alston’s acrylic on canvas, titled *Untitled (Couple)*, from 1950. The figures emerge out of geometric planes of color and are really fragmented. What symbols or meaning do you find here? Curator: I see a bold reimagining of the portrait tradition. The fractured planes aren’t just abstract forms. They serve to investigate the complexities inherent in relationships. Do you notice how the faces are both close together and also masks? Editor: Masks, yes! They’re not really looking at each other... more like turned inward. Is Alston commenting on hidden emotion? Curator: Precisely. Consider the colors: the cool blues and grays alongside the vibrant reds. Aren't those tensions reflective of the inner lives people hold private, even in their most intimate relationships? Perhaps Alston seeks to expose vulnerability but simultaneously acknowledges the protections we construct. Editor: It's interesting that this work is *Untitled*. That really opens up a lot of room for the viewer’s own interpretation. It's as if Alston wants us to confront those inner conflicts ourselves. Curator: Exactly. And how do we read those bold white outlines defining features of their faces? To me, they're like exposing a deeper psychic landscape. The couple almost becomes an archetype of inner experience. Editor: I hadn’t thought about the universal aspect. It’s a powerful piece. I came in seeing fragmentation but am leaving thinking about connection, even if conflicted. Curator: Alston presents that complexity so beautifully. I'm walking away questioning the ways we conceal and reveal ourselves to others.