Portrait de Noutchy 2021

Editor: So, this is Aboudia’s “Portrait de Noutchy” from 2021, made with acrylic paint. The figures feel very raw and immediate to me – almost like they’re emerging from the surface. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the physicality of the paint itself. Notice the layering, the almost frantic application. For me, this isn't just about depicting a subject, it’s about the act of creation, the labor involved. How do you think the quick application and bold colors connect to ideas around street art and graffiti, where speed and visibility are crucial? Editor: That’s interesting, I hadn’t really thought about the connection to graffiti beyond just a thematic similarity. So the raw application is related to an actual practice of material use within street art. I suppose the acrylic connects to ideas about how art is commodified as well. Curator: Precisely! Acrylic is readily available, democratizing art production to a certain extent. But also consider its archival qualities – is there a tension between the intended ephemerality of graffiti and the relative permanence offered by painting? Aboudia’s work frequently integrates textual elements reminiscent of graffiti, even drawing in stylistic components from expressionism and figuration, but it does this on canvas. Editor: I do notice what appears to be the artist's signature along the bottom. In that case, does framing this as 'high art' remove the themes and subject from their original, 'street' context, perhaps changing the meaning? Curator: Exactly! Think about who has access to art in galleries versus on the streets. The consumption of this work, then, becomes inherently tied to its material presentation. And this reframing certainly creates an interesting and even productive friction, right? Editor: Yes! I learned how much the choice of materials and the act of painting itself are linked to the broader context. Thank you. Curator: Absolutely, considering the materials and processes at play truly expands our understanding.