Fish V 1969

Editor: Here we have Rita Angus's "Fish V" from 1969. It seems to be rendered in tempera and acrylic. The first thing that strikes me is how flat everything seems; there's almost no depth, giving it an almost dreamlike quality. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, I see a conscious deployment of archetypal symbols. Notice how the fish, a common symbol of fertility and abundance, are rendered with this deliberately naive, almost childlike simplicity. What do you suppose that says about the artist’s intent? Editor: Maybe to connect with primal ideas of nature, like an Edenic vision? Curator: Precisely! And the lobster, prominently placed, disrupts that harmony. In many cultures, the lobster symbolizes transformation, adaptability, even resilience. It injects a subtle tension. But do these symbols feel personal or universal in this work? Editor: More universal, I think. The artist isn’t necessarily telling her own story, but something more collective. Curator: I agree. Consider also the lack of traditional perspective, reinforcing this sense of timelessness. Angus isn't trying to capture a specific moment, but rather tap into a shared cultural memory of the sea, and the creatures within it. The flattened forms create an emblematic image, less about realism and more about an enduring idea. Editor: It’s amazing how a seemingly simple painting can be so layered with meaning! I'll definitely look at paintings differently from now on, paying closer attention to the symbols artists use. Curator: Indeed. It's like reading a visual language, unlocking deeper levels of understanding, revealing something familiar yet novel each time.