Susie 1988

Curator: Lucian Freud's "Susie," created in 1988, offers us an intimate glimpse into the artist's distinct approach to portraiture, especially considering its place within the School of London. Editor: My first thought? There’s a certain melancholic weight to it. It's like a study in vulnerability, achieved through the raw application of paint. Curator: Absolutely. The impasto technique is crucial. The thickly applied oil paint creates a palpable texture, almost as if we could reach out and feel the contours of Susie's face. What do you think this materiality brings to the image? Editor: For me, it’s about breaking down ideals. Instead of glossing over so-called imperfections, the visible brushstrokes celebrate them. We get to see this person—Susie—beyond constructed societal beauty standards. In a way, it feels very modern. Curator: Modern indeed. This reminds me of a return to form after abstraction; a brutal kind of honesty that almost strips bare the tradition of idealizing portraiture. What symbolism, if any, do you find at play here? Editor: I’m not sure it's overt symbolism so much as the symbolism *of* reality, perhaps. In her slightly downturned gaze, one reads layers of lived experiences, which reflect on larger societal issues about female representation and the pressures women face. Curator: Yes, the gaze does create a compelling tension. There's a profound sense of introspection about her gaze. Editor: Ultimately, Freud gives us a visual record deeply embedded with individual emotion while being unafraid to mirror our discomforts back at us. Curator: I appreciate how the painting functions as more than just a portrait; it’s an invitation to confront societal biases around beauty itself, even in its supposed 'imperfection.' Editor: Absolutely, this conversation about "Susie" demonstrates, once more, how paintings always act as conduits of intersectional dialogues around visuality and personhood.