Hold & Grey 2017

Editor: Here we have Aaron Nagel’s 2017 oil painting, "Hold & Grey." There’s something so classic about the composition, and yet the baldness of the sitter introduces this fascinating, slightly unsettling tension. What symbolic language do you see operating in this work? Curator: It's striking how Nagel positions the figure. That cool, grey drapery seems almost like armor, doesn't it? It protects and conceals, yet its silkiness also suggests vulnerability. It holds memories, perhaps a time of comfort and protection. And then those rings... Editor: You’re right. What do you make of the rings? Curator: They add a layer of complexity. Are they symbols of commitment, ownership, perhaps even a kind of self-possession? Look at the way the hands clasp – there’s a sense of the sitter protecting herself. How do you see the light functioning in this portrait? Editor: The way it catches on the fabric, it's almost baroque. It definitely guides your eye, but it also casts a shadow that veils certain aspects. Curator: Exactly! Shadow and light play a huge role in concealing and revealing elements. Think of how the darkness accentuates the face – inviting us to search for deeper meaning in the eyes. Editor: It's interesting how those kinds of clues create multiple levels to understand identity, protection and memory. Curator: Yes, and the neutrality of the gray adds to that feeling of quiet contemplation. The painting uses potent, age-old visual strategies to communicate something intensely modern about personhood and resilience. It invites us to hold the many facets of existence gently, even amidst stark realities. Editor: Thanks for your help with decoding its imagery! It’s interesting to consider the figure resisting the male gaze even when appearing nude. I see new layers to it.