Atomic God (Detail ) 2015

Curator: Oh my. My first thought? Myth meets muscle...and maybe a bit of melodrama. Editor: Right you are! We're looking at a section from Saul Zanolari's "Atomic God," created in 2015. It’s an acrylic on… well, I’m not entirely sure what the support is, but the artist blends fantasy art elements with figuration and, undeniably, erotic undertones. Curator: Erotic is one word! It's definitely...assertive. This figure in mid-leap – that could be Zeus, or some post-modern Icarus. The sunset...or is that mushroom cloud in the background? And the mermaid! Is she swooning, or running away? I am so curious to understand this artwork! Editor: Well, that volcano in the distance coupled with the work’s title, "Atomic God", points, quite heavily in my opinion, towards the post-apocalyptic anxieties that linger even in the face of supposed heroism. These themes run through various visual narratives, echoing the anxieties that emerge when progress and destruction become disturbingly entangled. The figure in flight embodies the mythic hero diving into the unknown—yet he's sporting these rather contemporary gloves which creates such an interesting tension. Curator: It really does make you wonder about protection or transformation… Those gloves certainly pull in an element of modern anxiety into the historical setting. It reminds me how myths themselves are often a collage of eras and aspirations, continuously reshaped by culture and interpretation. In Zanolari’s hands, mythology clearly isn't just revisited—it's radically reimagined, even joked with. Editor: Definitely! This artist does a remarkable job merging the familiar and strange into new icons, reflecting our enduring search for meaning in this chaotic era. What else do you note in these merging of images and styles? Curator: In total truthfulness? This piece is far from my aesthetic ideal, but, looking closely it’s also pretty magnetic and complex. "Atomic God," manages to jolt you, making one consider the strange beauty of combining classical heroism with these weird gloves against the shadow of global devastation. Quite a fascinating artist. Editor: Absolutely. It’s these unexpected juxtapositions that push art beyond pretty decoration, don't you think? Art helps you ask what you previously weren't even aware you had questions for. And now, as viewers, we have several more questions, so to speak.