Christmas Eve 2013

Editor: This painting is called "Christmas Eve," made in 2013 by Małgorzata Serwatka, a watercolor and paint on paper. It feels both celebratory and a little melancholic to me. The use of apples and the peek into what appears to be a window makes me think of old folk tales. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The imagery here is deeply resonant. Apples, of course, immediately bring to mind the Garden of Eden and the symbolic weight of knowledge and temptation, but in many cultures they’re also symbols of immortality and rebirth. This “Christmas Eve” carries with it a sense of anticipation, but it is juxtaposed with the slightly haunting figures behind the window. The window itself is a fascinating frame— what do you think those blurred figures represent? Editor: Maybe memories? Or perhaps even premonitions, adding to that bittersweet feeling. I also noticed the dice hanging above the window; they feel very out of place. Curator: Precisely! The dice introduces an element of chance, of fate perhaps being playfully, or even ominously, at play. It sits amongst all of the other traditional symbols—Christmas, apples, and familial figures. The oversized scissors too—they make you wonder, what will be cut or separated? Is it something literal, such as the string on which the apples are hanging, or something more emotional? Editor: I see what you mean; all these small details have greater importance than I initially thought! So the artwork explores the mixture of hope and uncertainty associated with special moments like Christmas? Curator: I think so, and more generally how we assign significance to symbols to grapple with complex emotions surrounding change and time passing. The painting encourages a personal reading, doesn’t it? Each of these images could unlock different meanings depending on your memories and associations. Editor: It does indeed! I will never look at watercolors the same way! Thanks.