S.STALLONE 2022

Editor: Cricorps’ 2022 acrylic on canvas painting, "S.STALLONE", certainly grabs your attention with its bold colors and distorted portraiture. It almost feels like a critique of celebrity culture. What’s your take? Curator: It's interesting that you mention celebrity culture. The image definitely speaks to our current obsession with image and self-representation. But, doesn't it also highlight the democratization of portraiture made possible by the ubiquity of cell phones? Editor: That’s a good point, how we are all constructing and sharing our images. Curator: Exactly. And think about the title - S.STALLONE - the deliberate abbreviation points toward a branded persona, almost a logo, and less about the depth of Stallone, the human being. The pop art feel amplifies this. Doesn’t it almost feel mass-produced? Editor: It does. And the bright colors, along with the abstraction of the features, flatten the image even further, it’s almost two-dimensional. What about the question mark visible on the cell phone that Stallone's character holds? Curator: An excellent observation! I wonder if the question mark alludes to identity and questions our perceived vision. Does the question mark underscore a challenge to the viewer's understanding? Editor: That makes me wonder if Cricorps is questioning the roles celebrities play in our society. It gives a very thought-provoking, powerful voice to such contemporary art. Curator: Indeed. Considering these aspects provides us with insights not only on contemporary portraiture, but also on how we create, consume, and project images in the twenty-first century. Thank you for sharing your perception on this piece of art.