Ghosts 

Editor: Here we have what appears to be an acrylic painting, "Ghosts", by Sarah Joncas. The figure in the bathtub creates quite an unsettling mood. It looks both dreamlike and melancholic, the blending of a mundane object and surreal additions feels intentionally disquieting. How do you interpret this work through a social or cultural lens? Curator: It's fascinating how Joncas plays with the familiar and the strange. Consider the context: images of women in domestic spaces have historically been loaded with expectations. But here, the intimacy of the bathtub is subverted. We see a possible commentary on societal expectations versus the interior life of the individual. Notice the floating fish and the disjointed limbs. Where might those symbols lead us, socially speaking? Editor: They definitely push back against conventional domestic scenes. I’m drawn to those spectral body parts – disembodied arms almost like ghosts as the title suggests. Are those an attempt to explore themes of objectification? Curator: Potentially. Or think about how social media encourages a curated, often unrealistic version of ourselves. The disjointed body parts could represent the fragmented self, shaped by external pressures and performative identity. How much of what we see is truly "real" versus constructed? Is the nude a rejection of this construction? What’s being hinted at regarding public expectations surrounding the body in contrast to private experience? Editor: I never considered that relationship between social media and the fragmentation of self, but it definitely adds a layer to this unsettling feeling. I suppose it's both intriguing and concerning to think how contemporary pressures affect artists. Curator: Precisely. Art often serves as a mirror, reflecting and questioning our societal norms. In Joncas's work, that mirror shows us the tensions between expectation and lived reality. Editor: It's been helpful to explore how this painting engages with cultural and social dialogues on identity and representation. This lens brings into light how social expectations change our perception and reaction to an art piece. Curator: Indeed. Thinking about art’s role in these discussions enriches our understanding, revealing more about our world.