libra 2019

Curator: Today, we’re looking at Camilla d'Errico's “Libra,” a mixed-media work created in 2019. It’s a striking image. Editor: Indeed, the immediate effect is dreamlike. There’s something otherworldly in its soft pastel palette, and then this curious, almost unnerving, melting effect in the hands… Curator: D’Errico's work often navigates themes of duality, and this piece resonates with classic Libra symbolism—balance and harmony but seen through the lens of contemporary surrealism. Consider the juxtaposition of the birds—symbols of freedom, yet one presents an olive branch—a plea? Editor: That's an astute observation. For me, it is the textures, layering colored pencil over acrylic paint that interests. I see that contrast representing the tension between surface beauty and a kind of…disintegration, which could represent capitalism's treatment of both human labor and our exploitation of materials. Curator: Absolutely. The artistic choices made—the media and the colors – evoke pop surrealism with undertones of socio-political messaging. This melting effect, is not merely aesthetic; it visually communicates fluidity—a challenge to fixed norms. I interpret her gender ambiguity as a commentary on the rigid definitions that confine individuals. Editor: You make a valid point regarding the materiality’s metaphoric connection to a crumbling structure. D’Errico's utilization of familiar materials to execute a seemingly whimsical image could invite scrutiny toward the foundations of her style. The application technique and her process must certainly involve a great deal of calculated planning, labor and intentional effort for something so ethereal. Curator: And in that construction is also an implication for dismantling, perhaps—re-imagining identity, a crucial component to queer art. What this work contributes to this artistic genealogy is that she offers visual codes for our audience to engage in conversations concerning the self and its multifaceted representation. Editor: Ultimately, engaging with "Libra" leads to ponder questions about what art can say when process meets production in a consumer society, as much as questions surrounding politics of identity are provoked by art and aesthetics. Curator: I agree. The artwork compels audiences to explore the spectrum of selfhood through various contexts, making her art particularly poignant in contemporary discourses of power, identity, and representation.