Trees 

Curator: Sirak Skitnik, simply titled "Trees," invites us to reflect on the essence of the forest. While the precise date is unavailable, the oil-paint rendering offers a textured landscape of greens and browns, a scene seemingly caught between abstraction and representation. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: It's a hauntingly beautiful and deceptively simple composition. The monochromatic palette evokes a sense of memory, almost a fading photograph. The vertical strokes depicting the trees are like bars, perhaps a visual metaphor for the constraints imposed by societal or environmental forces. Curator: The motif of trees themselves is so ancient, appearing across cultures as symbols of life, growth, connection between earth and sky. Do you see particular iconographic echoes here? Editor: Yes, certainly, the repeated motif almost acts as a commentary on mass deforestation, where forests are turned into a product and no longer stand as symbols of a flourishing life. Their abstraction speaks to their removal from reality, transforming them into aesthetic commodities. Curator: I see your point, the slightly muted tones, predominantly various shades of green, carry a somber resonance. Considering Skitnik’s artistic context, how does the handling of light contribute to your reading? Editor: It almost seems like there is no light; the consistent use of almost exclusively monotone palette brings the trees forward and almost erases their connection to one another. In essence, there is an undeniable political element. Curator: Fascinating interpretation. While I initially focused on the more universal symbols associated with nature, your reading certainly highlights the painting's potential for critical commentary on humanity’s impact on our environment. I notice that some trees are larger, seemingly protecting their ground with strong trunking marks. Editor: And the thinner ones further back appear in line, like shadows of what's to come, or ghosts from the past... it makes us want to not forget about this vital ecosystem in the grand scheme of exploitation, or "development" as some may call it. Curator: It does indeed invite us to look deeper at the relationship that this piece speaks to! Editor: Absolutely. Thank you for this refreshing read, reminding us to look beyond pretty imagery. Curator: And thank you for illuminating it with a needed socio-political awareness!