The Thin Veil 2020

Curator: Bo Bartlett's 2020 oil painting, "The Thin Veil," depicts a rather intriguing gathering of figures in an outdoor setting. What's your first impression? Editor: It feels… unsettling. There’s something deeply strange and yet familiar about the composition. The muted palette adds to a sense of subdued anxiety; like a dream, perhaps. Curator: That resonates. Bartlett’s work often explores themes of American identity and contemporary culture through a lens that challenges conventional notions of representation and often pushes the boundaries of realism. Notice how the figures, seemingly adolescent women, are adorned with unusual, cone-shaped headwear, in an otherwise realistic scene. Editor: Right, those metallic cones – are they meant to invoke tin foil hats? A commentary on paranoia, conspiracy theories, the "thin veil" of the title suggests they see a truth hidden from others, the absurdity becomes poignant. The headwear could represent the weight of societal expectations and the characters acting as vehicles to dissect such ideas. Curator: Interesting. It raises the question of power, doesn’t it? These could very well reference historic imagery or groups marginalized within society. We have the institutional backdrop of, perhaps a school context in terms of their outfits and, if those indeed allude to tinfoil hats, the wider context is, of course, media, public perception and maybe manipulation too. Editor: And look how isolated they seem. Though presented as a group, they exude individuality. Each distinct in expression, they appear distant in manner and the uniformity created through the metallic cones ironically adds more dimension to their characterization and, on the whole, to their intersectionality and individuality, challenging perceptions. Curator: Definitely. The landscape too plays a vital role. It contributes to a mood of unease as a kind of stark, psychological landscape that mirrors their interior states. Its flatness amplifies that isolated mood you described. What do we make of the title then? Editor: "The Thin Veil" feels almost self-aware in the artwork. It represents so many dualities: it's a reflection on how identity is both presented and perceived. The painting prompts us to think about these complex questions on representation. What a potent image! Curator: Precisely, highlighting the nuances embedded in seemingly familiar realities. Food for thought!