Dirty Show 

Editor: Sarah Joncas’ painting, seemingly titled "Dirty Show", presents a mesmerizing portrait, its dark color palette creating a somewhat unsettling mood. What kind of statement do you see being made in this piece? Curator: I'm interested in how Joncas is using the language of traditional portraiture to explore contemporary ideas of beauty and self-presentation, specifically in light of the male gaze. Think about the red fan – is it offering a coy invitation or acting as a shield, reclaiming the subject's agency? How might we interpret the tension between the dark, almost gothic, backdrop and the bright, alluring red? Editor: That’s an interesting contrast. The flowers on the fan also contrast with the thorns and roses in the background, almost a kind of feminine power play? Curator: Exactly. There’s a suggestion of performance in how the figure is styled, in a way that feels both vulnerable and defiant. To understand her statement we have to also think about beauty standards within a patriarchal framework, a constant negotiation between visibility and objectification. Editor: I see it. It’s almost as if the figure is playing with these societal expectations, and I love the challenging aspect it conveys. Curator: Indeed, consider the artist's choice not to date the painting: Does this choice make it less about one specific context and more about a commentary on the ongoing tension women experience surrounding the ideas of display, desire, and self-possession? It pushes us to consider its relevance beyond any fixed timeframe. Editor: I never considered that. Thank you! Now, the lack of dating, the style of the dress…all that pushes the work towards the conceptual and not about one period. Curator: Precisely. It is important to acknowledge those choices, opening up further discourse about historical gender dynamics and feminine presentation!