Mortum 2020

Editor: This is Camilla d’Errico's 2020 piece, "Mortum," rendered with acrylic paint. It immediately strikes me as both whimsical and a bit morbid, a real visual contradiction. What are your thoughts when you look at this, Professor? Curator: Ah, "Mortum." A potent concoction, isn’t it? I’m reminded of those bittersweet dreams – vibrant, but tinged with the shadow of something…ending. The skull, that ancient symbol, now weeps a riot of colour. Does it evoke tears of sadness, or perhaps the ecstatic overflow of memories? And that darling little fuzzball creature perched atop... is it a herald of doom or a quirky observer? Editor: I hadn't considered the memories aspect. So the colours...they represent memories? Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe it's the vibrant essence of a life once lived. What do *you* think they symbolize? Think of colours: how do you feel when you wear blue compared to bright red? Consider how our experiences seep into our interpretation, staining it with personal meaning, don't you think? Editor: That’s a really good point. Red feels aggressive to me; blue feels calm, so a mix… a full life lived, maybe. Curator: Exactly. And look at the blurring between pop-surrealism, portraiture and caricature – it throws everything into joyful ambiguity. Mortality isn't necessarily dour, here, is it? This is the surrealism of self; who the painter _is_ coming through, bright yet solemn, sweet and melancholic, all mixed as one. Editor: That changes my entire perception of it. It is like one’s essence pouring out! I never would have gotten there on my own. Thanks! Curator: Art, you see, is often about stumbling upon yourself while attempting to understand another. A worthy journey, wouldn't you agree?