Dragushka and the lying goat 

Editor: This lively artwork, painted by Mana Parpulova, features “Dragushka and the lying goat”. The piece is bursting with bold colours and a kind of naive charm that reminds me of a children’s book illustration. How do you interpret this work, especially in terms of its visual storytelling? Curator: Visual storytelling... interesting choice of words. Note the stylized landscape. Are we in a real place, or a representation of an internal emotional world? The goat, in particular, demands our attention, silhouetted boldly. Goats often represent virility, stubbornness, even scapegoating in different cultural contexts. What could that mean here, alongside this standing figure? Editor: I hadn't considered the goat's symbolism beyond its obvious presence! Is the title telling us to think more about its potential for deception? Curator: Deception is a key consideration. Ask yourself, who is Dragushka? Who is being deceived, and by whom? What narratives about trust and betrayal are being activated here, and what is the artist’s commentary? Are we tapping into archetypal stories passed down through generations? What echoes do you hear? Editor: I see it! The goat is large and contrasts in scale. Is that suggesting an unbalanced relationship? The use of Fauvist colours, quite dream-like, and combined with these familiar symbols...It feels as though the picture speaks of a subconscious realm, a stage for these age-old conflicts. Curator: Precisely. And how might the bright colour palette amplify those subconscious conflicts? Editor: The colours create a dreamscape. It's intriguing how something so seemingly simple visually can unlock such layers of potential meaning. Thanks for pointing those out to me. Curator: A pleasure. Always remember: art often whispers its truths in the language of symbols. It is up to us to listen attentively.