Edea 

Curator: Here we have a digital portrait titled "Edea" by Stanley "Artgerm" Lau. What strikes you first? Editor: The coolness. Both literally, with that icy palette, and figuratively, in her knowing smirk. The values are really interesting; everything's rendered with a silky softness. Almost feels like polished CGI. Curator: I love that observation. It has that hyper-real quality characteristic of Artgerm's digital paintings, doesn’t it? Looking closer, the detail is really in the rendering of the textures: the wisps of hair, the subtle highlights on the metal gauntlet. It feels painstakingly built. Editor: Right, but how much of that perceived texture is actual simulated surface roughness and how much is an aesthetic decision that nods towards texture? Think of the labor, too. One digital artist producing images meant for wide consumption, circulating primarily in digital spaces. The act of digital creation also becomes commodified. Curator: Yes! And isn't that an interesting point when thinking about "portraiture" – historically a record of power and status achieved via patronage and here a hypermodern depiction accessible to, in theory, anyone. Editor: Well, in practice, access depends on digital literacy, and access to the technology in the first place. It's a portrait designed to be circulated, commented on, and easily copied. What happens to the notion of the original work? Curator: Perhaps "Edea" represents not an individual but the ideal of one. And perhaps that speaks to digital artwork, that is not made in some sort of glorious isolation, but in a community of users who see, who comment and re-imagine and remake every portrait into multiple versions. Editor: It certainly presents fascinating tensions between individual expression and collective consumption. And also questions around authenticity, skill and work in a digital world. Curator: For me, "Edea" becomes a reminder of just how intertwined art and technology can be – and that images might just exist for a moment. Editor: It’s something to think about isn't it, as our perception of what we are seeing, and its connection to a bigger industry continues to evolve.