Untitled 1990

Editor: Oh wow, that’s like staring into a sunspot… makes me want to spontaneously combust in a good way! Curator: That's an interesting reaction to Sam Francis's "Untitled" created in 1990. It’s an acrylic on canvas painting characteristic of his abstract expressionist style. Let's delve a little deeper into that feeling. Editor: It’s this almost violent eruption of color, yet the white background sort of contains it, you know? It’s as if Francis captured a moment of pure energy, almost like… rage. I think? Curator: I understand that take, particularly in relation to the time it was created, towards the later years of the artist's career where he developed increasingly complex ideas about what he referred to as "edge." The arrangement speaks to broader ideas concerning space, both political and personal. Consider that its pure abstraction resists easy interpretation and pushes against dominant artistic trends. Editor: "Edge"? I feel that! You put it into words perfectly because the white edge also calms the turmoil somehow. How interesting... I just thought it looked like happy sunshine rage. Curator: Precisely. This piece is important because it encourages us to rethink how the politics of space affect individual identity and subjectivity. This invites important conversations concerning marginality and exclusion. The tension of form destabilizes any monolithic understanding. Editor: Woah, that is heavy. I was just vibing with the color story. But thinking about it that way, that’s what good art *should* do right? Curator: Exactly, Sam Francis’s piece pushes us to confront preconceived notions of meaning and invites a richer dialogue regarding personal, and historical contexts. Editor: I see the painting very differently now... it feels heavier, almost. I’ll need a bit to simmer on that… But thank you, this little rage ball means something completely different to me now!