Act III: The Final Judgment: The Court weighed the magician's Work Possibly 1980 - 1981

Editor: Arthur Tress's mixed-media collage, "Act III: The Final Judgment: The Court weighed the magician's Work", possibly created between 1980 and 1981, presents a very theatrical scene, almost like a diorama. The composition seems very deliberate, balancing disparate elements on a checkerboard stage. How would you interpret the arrangement and the various symbols within the frame? Curator: Intriguing. Consider first the overarching structure: the proscenium arch framing a tableau vivant. Tress establishes a self-reflexive mise-en-scène, directing our gaze to the very act of looking. What significance might the "Opera" inscription at the top have in this context? Editor: It emphasizes the constructed nature of the scene, like we are viewing a performance or a dream. It might signal to the audience that things aren't always as they appear on stage? Curator: Precisely. Now, regard the interplay between the geometric forms – the checkerboard floor, the crystalline scale, and the spherical billiard ball and eye. These shapes, in their contrasting textures and scales, create a visual tension. Note the strategic placement of the cross juxtaposed with these forms; consider the role that orthogonal lines and balanced placement of these objects and shapes might communicate. Editor: I see. The composition directs the eye towards the back, establishing a relationship between religion and earthly judgements...or are those academic judgements being performed? Curator: That ambiguity is essential. It suggests a broader commentary on systems of judgment and the artist's role within them. Also notice the materiality, which is something to admire of mixed-media. Are we to assume that the work, being photographic collage, seeks to deconstruct our faith in mimetic imagery? Editor: So, by breaking down the illusion of reality with a flattened space and these jarring juxtapositions, the photograph instead offers us an exploration of visual language? I will look for works like these in the future. Curator: Indeed. By examining the composition, scale, form, and materiality, we uncover a dialogue on perception and judgment inherent in this peculiar opera of vision and justice.