Boy with Mirror 1976

Curator: Rafael Penagos created this drawing, “Boy with Mirror,” which resides in the Tate Collections. The dimensions are roughly 77 by 57 centimeters. Editor: It feels intensely private, even vulnerable. The sepia tones lend it a nostalgic feel, like a faded photograph. Curator: The bicycle could stand for freedom, adventure, or even just childhood. But it’s static. The mirror image dominates. Editor: Mirrors are, of course, classic symbols of self-reflection, vanity, but here, something more profound. The boy confronts himself, his developing identity perhaps? Curator: Perhaps. Penagos was working in a time of shifting social values. This could be an individual's struggle to find his place within that context. Editor: I still find myself drawn to the mirrored reflection and that sense of youthful searching. Curator: A poignant reminder of growing up and how societal change impacts the youth.