Untitled [mauve, purple] 1970

Editor: This is an untitled painting by Edward Avedisian from 1970, made with acrylic paint. I notice a repetition of squares within squares, a sort of layering, using colors like mauve and purple as the title suggests. What is your take on this abstract piece? Curator: Avedisian’s work here exemplifies the dynamic energy of abstract expressionism. How does this layering of squares speak to the societal structures present in 1970? Think about how boundaries were being challenged, redefined. These nested forms could be a commentary on those systems of containment and definition that were prevalent then – systems tied to gender roles, racial divides, class structures. What’s your interpretation? Editor: I see the colors as sort of clashing, the hard-edged squares contrasting with the very visible brushstrokes. Almost like a controlled chaos. Is that related to those social struggles of the time? Curator: Precisely! The tension in the painting could mirror the tension of social upheaval. The squares, typically a symbol of order and containment, are rendered imperfectly, almost aggressively. Consider the legacy of Abstract Expressionism: mostly white male artists achieving recognition in their time, whereas female and BIPOC artists did not, although doing similar or superior work. What ways can we understand the history and structures of Abstract Expressionism as reflecting power imbalances in the art world? Editor: So the art isn’t just *in* the painting, but in how the art world treated people then – and maybe even now. Curator: Exactly! Art history has its own inequities. Recognizing that opens us to questioning other narratives, and amplifying voices often pushed to the margins. How does this shift your thinking about the artwork? Editor: I will look for those missing voices in art!