Untitled 2008

Editor: This is Monique Orsini’s "Untitled" oil painting from 2008. It's a strikingly monochrome piece, save for touches of deep red. I find its aggressive brushstrokes and clashing forms quite turbulent. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, seeing an abstract expressionist work created in 2008, I am prompted to reflect on its place within the legacy of this movement. Abstract expressionism was largely defined by post-war anxieties and a search for universal truths. Considering Orsini's work, I wonder if she's revisiting or perhaps challenging these initial impulses? Are the socio-political concerns of the early 21st century influencing her brushstrokes, or is it more a personal, formal exploration? What do you observe about the visual language Orsini employs? Editor: I see the monochrome palette lending itself to almost brutal, contrasting forms. It seems quite raw. Is it referencing anything specific in abstract expressionism, like maybe the all-over compositions of Pollock, but with a much more condensed intensity? Curator: That's an insightful observation. It invites consideration of what, exactly, Orsini chooses to condense. We could explore the historical understanding of matter painting, and what tactile approach in abstract expressionism achieves in communicating beyond pure form. It reminds us that abstraction never exists in a vacuum; it's a product of – and a commentary on – its time and the existing visual culture. Editor: It's amazing to consider how contemporary concerns can still be expressed through a style born so long ago. I hadn’t considered the "why now" of it. Curator: Exactly. Examining the "why now" allows us to delve into the ever-evolving relationship between art, society, and the individuals who shape them.