Opera Cloak c. 1937

Al Curry made this watercolour artwork of an opera cloak, but when it was made, I'm not sure. The colour palette is a dance between the stark white of the cloak itself and the vivacious reds that adorn it. It's the kind of colour pairing that suggests high drama, like a stage spotlight cutting through the dark. You can really imagine the garment shimmering under bright lights, can't you? Looking closely, you can see the artist's hand in the delicate rendering of the floral motifs, a meticulous act of love that brings a touch of organic life to the design. See the patterns around the edges? The artist has built these up using a series of marks that together create a complex layering. It reminds me a little of Sonia Delaunay's textile designs, a similarly celebratory use of colour and form. Of course, art isn’t about fixed meanings. It's about opening up spaces for different conversations.