Olympias 1971

Editor: Here we have Felix Labisse's 1971 acrylic painting, Olympias. The striking blue skin of the subject is quite unexpected. What's your take on this intriguing piece? Curator: The canvas presents a formal study in color and form. Note how Labisse employs a limited palette, focusing primarily on contrasting blues and blacks with the subtle blush of pink. The composition, while seemingly straightforward, evokes a careful balance. The figure’s gaze directed to the left juxtaposes the serpent coiling right. Do you perceive the significance of this visual tension? Editor: I hadn’t considered the gaze and the serpent as creating tension. It does make the figure feel less static, more alert. The texture looks really smooth for acrylic, and the lines so clean. Was that typical of Labisse’s technique? Curator: Indeed. His meticulous brushwork and almost airbrushed finish conceal the texture of the medium itself. The hard edges create an interesting artificiality, heightening the surrealist feel of the piece. It draws attention to the inherent artificiality of representation. Notice how the artist rendered the theatrical curtains and lighting? Editor: Yes, everything looks hyper-real and a little staged. The details, like the jewelry and the dots on her face, contrast so vividly against her monochrome skin. Curator: Precisely. Labisse challenges us to reconsider the role of adornment and its impact on the overall form. Do you see how the vibrant adornments transform and elevate what is essentially a traditional nude study into something uncanny? Editor: It's as though Labisse took something familiar and then transformed it with a bold manipulation of colour and sharp detail. I appreciate the composition, it directs your eyes towards the different focal points. Curator: Exactly. The elements, juxtaposed, create that desired visual dialogue, demonstrating how formal choices can greatly impact our understanding of an image. Thank you for these enlightening observations!