Sounding Silence 2017

Curator: Michael Cheval's "Sounding Silence," created in 2017, immediately strikes me as an exercise in formal control. Look at the repetition of curves: the keyboard, the phonograph horn, even the woman's posture in the distance. Editor: I see those curves as more of a vortex, drawing us into the means of production of the painting. Notice how the record on the figure’s head implies a consumption of art as a cultural artifact. It’s as if Cheval is commenting on the relationship between artistry, commodification, and consumer culture. Curator: Possibly. But consider the subject's pale face juxtaposed against her bright red lips and gloves. Those reds echo the dress of the figure in the background. The canvas vibrates with visual rhymes and carefully calibrated tonal contrasts. Cheval expertly directs the viewer’s eye across the pictorial field. Editor: Let’s not overlook the material conditions in which fantasy art comes into being. The use of oil paint grounds us in the historical tradition of the medium. The choice is deliberate, positioning the work within a larger narrative about labour and skill. Curator: True, oil allows for those seamless gradations, which enhances the illusionism central to the surreal style. Observe the minute details: the reflections in the phonograph horn, the subtle modeling of the face. Each element is rendered with astonishing precision. Editor: The phonograph reminds us of technology, while the dress speaks to period costume; it prompts me to consider the socio-economic forces behind artistic trends, as the work is responding to broader historical factors. Curator: I cannot help but observe how the artist skillfully uses visual language and arranges objects with deep symbology to craft an elegant, harmonic visual experience. Note that "silence" becomes sonic in the art—interesting play of ideas. Editor: Yes, but the fantasy world and symbolism is secondary. The act of representation, of creating imagery from socially influenced conditions, reveals what really animates "Sounding Silence." What else do you notice about material and historical references that you think viewers would find meaningful? Curator: Well, looking closely at how these objects function together structurally adds a layer of understanding. How light plays across the various textures contributes much to its success as an artistic work. I'd be fascinated to consider it with our visitors. Editor: Indeed, let’s also delve into how Cheval's work is a byproduct of a commercial art market, shaping taste and value for modern surrealist painting. The discussion is very compelling.