The Burden of Memories 2022

Daria Theodora, a painter from the 20th century, made this artwork with illustrative colors and fine detail. I can imagine Daria hunched over this piece, applying watercolor washes in thin layers, adding detail with a tiny brush. There is a real sense of patience in the build-up of each tiny mark. “The Burden of Memory” is a real head-scratcher for me. I wonder, what might she have been thinking when she made this? Does the woman’s downward gaze imply that she’s literally carrying the weight of the bear? Or perhaps she's coming to terms with her personal history, like Frida Kahlo did. I appreciate her courage to delve into the world of symbols and the unconscious. I can see a conversation between her and Paula Rego, another figurative painter. What do you think?