Cupid and Psyche 

Editor: So this is "Cupid and Psyche" by Yoko d’Holbachie, painted with acrylic. It has this strange fairytale vibe with the central figure almost emerging from the landscape, surrounded by whimsical creatures. What grabs your attention when you look at this piece? Curator: Ah, Yoko! She's always been one for spinning familiar threads into tapestries of wonderfully unsettling dreams. For me, it’s how she takes classic mythological themes, like Cupid and Psyche – that tale of love conquering the monstrous – and plants them in a garden where Alice might stumble upon them. Does the central figure's gaze remind you of anyone? Almost as though we're catching them in a very private moment. The kind you almost want to glance away from, respectfully. Editor: Yes, definitely. There’s this raw, emotional vulnerability about the eyes that contrasts with the fantastical, almost cartoonish figures surrounding it. Does that tension make sense to you? Curator: Absolutely! That push-and-pull is classic Yoko. Look at the butterflies, for example; traditionally symbols of transformation and the soul. But here, they’re almost oppressive, swirling around her head like anxious thoughts. Don't you just want to release them? As though that might bring some sense of ease. I get the sense this represents an internal journey just as much as it references any myth. What about you? Does anything jump out as particularly evocative? Editor: I'm really struck by how she mixes hard-edged realism with surrealism. The result makes you feel almost off-kilter, challenging you to find logic. I came away understanding how it takes you by surprise and the longer I spend looking at it, the more complex I find it to be. Curator: I think you've nailed the best part of Yoko. She invites you into a playful wonderland but she holds no promise that it will be an easy one. I love it!