Reham 

Curator: Here we have Sarah Joncas's painting, "Reham." There's no date associated with it, but it's a striking contemporary piece. What's your initial impression? Editor: My first thought is that this is interesting work with the pixelated section and muted tones. It feels almost like a digital image struggling to load, hinting at hidden stories and obscured representation. Curator: Indeed. The work engages with the traditions of portraiture, but then immediately disrupts them. The gaze feels classical, inviting the viewer to know her, yet what do we *really* know, considering the manipulation to the picture? Editor: Absolutely. The pixelation obscures a part of the portrait and makes the rest of the representation a matter of debate; this creates a disruption in terms of value, both in currency as representation of the sitter and her value as a person, perhaps an attempt at disrupting objectification itself. It really directs us towards the materials. Is that section pixelated in the painting, or is this photograph of the painting edited to have pixelation? Curator: I am glad you point that out. We can not always take an artist's work as 'the whole truth'. Perhaps the pixelization in post processing could imply themes of digital identity, privacy, and the contemporary consumption of images. If these effects are the painting material itself, what would the brushstrokes reveal about her material and intellectual labor? Editor: That's compelling. Speaking to materials and labour - the choice to create it using acrylic on, presumably, canvas has significant implications. Acrylic can simulate oil paint and other visual registers while being easier to acquire. Acrylic’s connection to accessibility might suggest an important shift. Who do we believe the image is "for?" What type of person did the artist imagine herself in conversation with while making it? Curator: I think this challenges viewers to confront the gaps in their perception and consider the narratives and structures that create those very blind spots. This feels very urgent for contemporary debates regarding race, class, and particularly, gender and its construction. Editor: Ultimately, this makes me consider the social context of image production, even within art that seems solely representational or figurative. Thanks, as always, for your brilliant readings. Curator: It's been illuminating for me as well. The artwork's complexities make us rethink identity and our roles in the dynamics of representation and power.