Cadaver 

Curator: Welcome. We are now standing before a striking painting by Craig Mullins, entitled “Cadaver”. Unfortunately, we have no information about its exact date, but can note that it’s an oil painting. Editor: My first impression is a quiet sadness. The muted tones, the averted gaze, it all speaks to a sense of introspection or even resignation. There’s an incredible softness, but a sense of detachment, too. Curator: Mullins' approach is rooted in a study of the Old Masters, re-interpreting and developing new artistic approaches that take art history and contemporary technology as central components in the creative process. The delicate rendering, a hallmark of realism, and his careful composition encourage a particular interpretation. Editor: I’m drawn to how the play of light shapes her face and hair. The light is selective, almost theatrical, spotlighting her features. And yet, the background melts into this ambiguous darkness that gives a feeling of melancholy and concealment. Is this 'Cadaver' as a way of suggesting a kind of performed social death? Curator: Well, art’s ability to critique and subvert power through strategic deployment of the body is a prominent concept in contemporary discourse and I would agree that these undertones add depth to what might otherwise seem a traditional portrait. The piece certainly operates on different levels – it is realistic, in a hyperrealist manner, and highly stylized. Editor: Absolutely, it also seems to probe ideas related to femininity. I also notice she wears what appears to be patterned fabrics that, despite the somber tone, adds an interesting layer to the painting and gives me reason to want to dive further in it! What is the social meaning behind those stylistic choices? Curator: The clothing seems less like an indication of wealth or social status, more of a suggestion that the woman portrayed perhaps occupies different roles, her true self obscured, yet those patterns adds some dimension of beauty in what it otherwise portrayed as a cadaverous state. Editor: I appreciate how the title of the work really enhances its interpretation. Mullins challenges us to consider how societal and personal experiences intertwine to create narratives. Curator: Indeed. It is paintings such as this, imbued with technical prowess and a self-conscious grasp of art’s function in a historical, political, and social contexts, that challenge institutions like this one to think differently about how to engage art with our public. Editor: I agree, as artworks as powerful as this gives me a unique perception on realism by emphasizing cultural intersectionalities.