Untitled (Peace Portfolio: "The Megaphone") 1970

Curator: This monoprint by Lee Krasner, made in 1970, is titled “Untitled (Peace Portfolio: 'The Megaphone')". Editor: Brown, ochre, sepia—it’s almost monochromatic, and yet those amorphous shapes across a white background convey a feeling of raw, visceral energy. Curator: The seeming spontaneity is interesting, isn't it? We have these organic forms, yes, but the relationships between line, shape, and the negative space feel carefully constructed. I see an underlying order holding that apparent chaos together. Editor: Order, maybe, but stemming from a turbulent era. This work was created during the height of the Vietnam War. The “Peace Portfolio” title invites us to consider how Krasner engages with this sociopolitical context through abstraction. Is it a cry against the war, an appeal for change, or simply a personal meditation on conflict? Curator: The biomorphic forms evoke life, growth...perhaps even resilience. But how do you read these forms specifically in the context of anti-war sentiment? Is the megaphone suggesting protest or merely announcing existence? Editor: I think Krasner uses abstraction to bypass didacticism. The raw, unrefined energy of the piece feels like a gut reaction to the violence of war. The megaphone represents a call for something different, even if that 'something' remains undefined, open to interpretation. It becomes a space for collective grief, anger, and, hopefully, resolution. Curator: Fascinating. I wonder if reducing the tonal range encourages a more introspective viewing. The stark contrast between earth tones and white makes the composition, the gesture, even more impactful. Each splat, stroke, and blot demands our attention. Editor: I agree. There's a lot packed into what seems like a simple image. It urges us to reflect on our histories and consider our place in movements for social justice, too. Curator: Very true. I find the piece to be powerful and beautiful at once. A testament to the many-layered capabilities of abstract art. Editor: For sure. This artwork provides a critical lens through which we can see the intersectional possibilities between form, affect, and a tumultuous past.