Golden Salamander 

Curator: This piece, "Golden Salamander," is by the contemporary artist Michael Parkes. Editor: My initial response is captivated. The contrast of the ethereal winged figure and the grounded salamander sets up such a strange, alluring tension. Curator: The use of these archetypal forms, particularly the angel figure with flowing fabric and that intriguing amphibian, roots itself in a rich history of symbolism. Water, earth, and air all in one composition. Editor: True, the materials used appear deliberately crafted to highlight this contrast. There is a beautiful matte flatness in the tones that creates depth and mystery. Curator: Absolutely. The salamander, often associated with alchemy and fire—spiritual transformation—and the figure’s contemplative pose create a narrative about introspection. The angel's robes, almost funereal, speak to a melancholic sense of burden. What burdens do our symbols ask us to bear, I wonder? Editor: And the composition reinforces this duality. The salamander seems to almost be 'placed' onto the image—as if the plane it inhabits exists within the painting but isn't inherently linked or part of the woman's perspective. Do you notice any relationship to practices within manuscript illustration? Curator: Perhaps; medieval marginalia, populated with fantastical beasts and moralizing figures, come to mind. It reminds us that art-making has often served as a mirror to our collective unconscious, populated with potent images. This piece is not just fantasy but reflects deep historical anxieties, especially given his other mythological subjects. Editor: Seeing this in a digital reproduction—it’s clear that it has a painting's tactility, almost an egg tempera quality despite being contemporary. That lends to the overall aura of antiquated mystique that so dominates its impact. Curator: The “Golden Salamander,” then, invites reflection on cultural memory as material reality, expressed through enduring visual language. Editor: Precisely; by investigating this piece, we might better understand our relationship to materials as an aesthetic record, laden with its cultural origins.