Untitled (Large Tape) 1988

Editor: So, this is Al Taylor's "Untitled (Large Tape)," created in 1988 using ink and print. It strikes me as a kind of organized chaos – lines everywhere, but with these almost geometric forms popping out. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, I love that "organized chaos" take. It reminds me of my sock drawer... But on a more serious note, Al Taylor was brilliant at finding beauty in the everyday. See how he takes something as mundane as tape and turns it into this dance of line and shadow? It's like he’s asking us to really *see* the world around us, you know? Like, have you ever stared at a roll of tape so intently it began talking back to you? Editor: Not…usually. But I get what you mean. It's more than just tape; it’s about how light interacts with it, the shapes it creates. Curator: Exactly! And notice the negative space? That’s just as important as the ink itself. The emptiness allows our eyes to wander, to create our own connections within the piece. It’s like the unsaid words in a poem. What kind of story does it evoke for you, maybe something humorous or absurd? Editor: It makes me think of a deconstructed architectural blueprint. Or maybe a Rube Goldberg machine that’s gone haywire! It’s like I’m peering into someone’s imagination, watching thoughts take shape, break apart, and reform. Curator: Beautiful! You know, I think Taylor would have loved that description. It all speaks to the poetry of the mundane, doesn't it? Always nice to find some delightful surprises in simplicity. Editor: I completely agree. Now I’ll never look at tape the same way.