The Vision to the Youth Bartholomew 2010

Editor: This is Alexander Roitburd’s "The Vision to the Youth Bartholomew," painted in 2010, using oil paint. The rough, tactile paint application gives it a compelling materiality, but the scene itself – two squirrels facing each other – feels almost dreamlike. What do you see in this piece, considering that title? Curator: The title casts a specific lens. Bartholomew, as in Saint Bartholomew, often associated with a spiritual vision. Look at the squirrels: they become less about realism and more about symbolic encounter. Think of animal iconography throughout history - foxes representing slyness, doves peace... Editor: So, the squirrels aren't just squirrels. Curator: Precisely. They become stand-ins, perhaps messengers in Bartholomew's vision. Their stance, almost a mirroring, suggests introspection, a dialogue with the self. What emotions does their mirrored stance evoke in you? Editor: I see a tension – a confrontation, but also recognition, maybe acceptance. The dark background certainly adds to a slightly ominous mood, almost as if the vision is occurring in a liminal space. Is there a specific tradition that Roitburd is referencing here? Curator: Roitburd plays with this tension, referencing Orthodox iconography with his style of realism, without depicting a traditional biblical narrative. He infuses mundane subjects – here, squirrels – with spiritual weight, prompting us to contemplate meaning in the everyday. This blurring of the sacred and profane marks his cultural commentary. Editor: That reframing gives me a new appreciation for how symbols and metaphors change over time. I had assumed this was a simple animal portrait, but it’s so much richer than that! Curator: Yes, a simple scene transformed by historical and psychological resonance, inviting you to construct your own “vision”.