The Generosity 2010

Editor: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s "The Generosity," is a large and compelling painting of two figures. The muted colors create such a contemplative mood. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The scene evokes a sense of ritual, doesn't it? Consider the socks, stark white against darker skin, a visual marker, almost like vestments. What memories or associations does that contrast trigger for you? Editor: I guess it feels like a departure, maybe preparing for something new? Curator: Exactly. Think about rites of passage, the shedding of one identity for another, mirrored in the title, "The Generosity." The act of giving, of transformation. Does the composition reinforce this feeling? Editor: The way they're both bending, focused, it's like they're participating in something together. I didn't see it that way at first. Curator: Visual symbols speak volumes about our shared human experiences.