Izze Libra 

Editor: This is "Izze Libra," an oil painting by Julie Bell. It's a pretty surreal animal portrait, and honestly, it makes me smile. The dog is dressed like royalty, with a very serious look. What strikes you when you see this painting? Curator: The combination of the animal figure with humanistic, even regal, attire immediately cues symbolic association. The artist paints a canine subject adorned with an elaborate collar, hinting at wealth and status. What lingers, though, is how such signifiers of power are complicated by the flowers and the figure bearing a Libra scale. Do these create tension? Editor: Absolutely! It’s almost as if the artist is contrasting something dignified with elements that are gentle, almost sentimental, like the flowers. Curator: Exactly. Consider the Libra symbol, archetypically associated with balance and justice. Julie Bell perhaps asks us to meditate on power, represented by the figure itself, and whether that authority is in harmony with the virtues of fairness. Does the figure need these symbolic reminders? Is power always aware of, or even challenged by, fairness? Editor: So the dog isn’t just a dog but represents something about those themes. What about the wings? Are they an important symbol here? Curator: Definitely! Winged figures are, across many cultures, visual metaphors for transcendence, aspiration, and spiritual passage. They prompt questions about our earthly boundaries, how to surpass the material and the transient. Editor: This makes me look at the painting completely differently. Thank you for shining a light on the complex symbolism here! Curator: My pleasure. By layering recognizable symbols, Bell speaks to deeply rooted, collective understandings of justice and moral aspiration. It’s quite thought-provoking!