Bali 

Editor: So, this is "Bali," a watercolor and acrylic painting by Brett Whiteley. I find its composition quite vibrant and almost overwhelming with all that green. It gives off this powerful sense of place. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see Whiteley engaging with a very loaded history – the Western gaze on "exotic" locales. Bali, in particular, has long been constructed in the Western imagination as a tropical paradise. It becomes essential to unpack that historical baggage. How does Whiteley reinforce or challenge this image of Bali? Editor: That's a great point! I hadn't really considered the potential for reinforcing stereotypes. He does use a lot of lush, almost exaggerated greenery. Is he intentionally playing into those expectations, or is there more to it? Curator: Precisely! We can think about it on a broader scale. Artists traveling to so-called 'exotic' locations would try to create what the public expects in order to become successful. Was this his intention, or was it just an appropriation of the landscape? Editor: It's tricky, because there is such obvious pleasure in the painting. How can you appreciate it, while being critical of how place is marketed and sold? Curator: Art presents such complications and contradictions, that by contemplating those historical and cultural forces that shape how we view "Bali," perhaps that changes how we value it, too? Editor: I think you’re right. Seeing it this way makes me appreciate it even more. Curator: Indeed! Understanding that the painting is not only a depiction but also a product of socio-political dynamics gives the piece a much deeper resonance.