The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin 2013

Curator: This oil painting by Alexander Roitburd, completed in 2013, is entitled "The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin." Editor: There's a powerful vulnerability that emanates from this piece. The rough texture of the paint adds to that sense. What strikes me is how the twin figures, with their averted gazes, seem to embody both shame and quiet strength simultaneously. Curator: Indeed. It's interesting how Roitburd engages with the historical representation of female suffering, particularly within a religious context. By placing these figures in what appears to be a very contemporary setting, he seems to be commenting on the timeless nature of such pain, and perhaps the societal expectations that contribute to it. Editor: Absolutely. It reads almost as a commentary on the Madonna figure stripped bare of any sanctity or halo. There is no escaping the physical realities of their bodies; this creates an immediacy and forces us to confront the societal lens that often reduces women to solely their maternal or sorrowful roles. The nude figures almost dare the audience to hypersexualize them. Curator: The artist seems to create a space where viewers are confronted with questions surrounding visibility, gender, and power. We can explore further by analyzing the contemporary interpretation of traditional religious archetypes and their resonance within a framework of feminist discourse. Editor: The choice of presenting two nearly identical figures heightens this impact for me. Are they doubles, fractured reflections of the same individual, or representing an almost shared collective suffering? This contemporary piece uses a title evocative of religious tradition to explore, maybe subvert, female narratives within art history and their impact on modern identity. Curator: The contemporary elements further challenge expectations; their poses are at once exposed and protected as they defensively keep their own space with the cross of their arms. It also prompts consideration of contemporary attitudes toward the female form. I find the piece pushes against conventions in both its aesthetic and socio-political dimensions. Editor: Overall, this striking and unsettling image makes you reflect on the enduring power and, I daresay, potential re-imagining of old myths in the social arena, and their role in our times. Curator: Precisely. Through this intersection, "The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin" encourages reflection and provokes inquiry, even, or perhaps especially, today.