Torch Singer c. 1940

Carl Pickhardt made this artwork called 'Torch Singer', using a monochrome palette, somewhere in the 20th century. Look at the gestures, like something out of a film noir, the singer looks poised, yet vulnerable. You know, when I look at this, I imagine Pickhardt, maybe with some jazz playing in the background, really getting into the mood of the piece, trying to create a narrative within the image. There's so much in her expression; the scratchy lines communicate feeling, intention, and meaning. I sympathize with her and wonder if Pickhardt did too. There is real ambiguity there. I wonder what she is about to sing? I think artists are in an ongoing dialogue through their works, influencing each other. This piece connects to the work of other artists who explore themes of performance, identity, and emotion. And, for me, painting is like a form of embodied expression – it embraces all this ambiguity and uncertainty. There isn’t one meaning, but many.