What are the first things that come to mind when you see the piece above by Blinky Palermo, Untitled (1970)? What about the color: does the hue bring up any particular associations?

On Wednesday, January 9, museum educator Marian Cohen prompted visitors to start thinking about the most basic elements of this work, such as color, and sparked exploration of this seemingly minimal artwork as part of a Roving Gallery Conversation. By having in-depth conversations about this work, Marian and the visitors considered the many nuances and details that are present in it. For example, can you tell that the work is made out of three colors of fabric, sewn together to create the single plane?

Taking time to look closely at works such as this one can be extremely rewarding, and our Roving Conversations are great opportunities to do so! Look for us in the galleries the next time you visit: you never know where our Roving educators will appear next.

Image credit:Untitled,Blinky Palermo (German, 1943-1977). 1970. Dyed cotton mounted on muslin, 6’ 6 3/4” x 6’ 6 3/4” (200 x 200 cm). Gift of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder. © 2013 Blinky Palermo / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Germany