Where the Clouds Grow 

Curator: Right, let's talk about "Where the Clouds Grow," a painting by Logan Maxwell Hagege. The vibrant landscape depicted here has an undeniably Western feel. Editor: Whoa, that’s… dreamy. Almost surreal. Those clouds look like they're made of meringue, and that southwestern landscape feels like a stage set, perfectly rendered and stark. Curator: Absolutely. Hagege’s approach is fascinating because, while rooted in Realism and Modernism, there's a distilled quality, a quiet grandeur. There are figures represented in the landscape, reflecting a narrative quality. What sociopolitical meanings may these convey about the settlement in this landscape, as they simultaneously occupy it and bear witness to the enormity of the space? Editor: That stillness... it’s both captivating and a little unnerving, isn’t it? I keep wondering about what is just beyond that ridge; but mostly, I just find myself contemplating these billowing cumulus clouds overhead. There's something so evocative in this image, the simplicity of forms almost childlike, yet masterful in technique. I'm sort of curious how the artist translates this feeling with oil paint. Curator: The painting also evokes themes of identity and belonging within a particular geography. By highlighting the monumentality of nature against figures present within the landscape, Hagege poses critical questions about humankind’s relationship with the environment, challenging notions of conquest. Editor: It makes me want to hit the open road. Like, right now! To feel that hugeness for myself. It makes you remember the simple moments of feeling small while experiencing something larger. I am certain there is magic held here! Curator: Ultimately, this artwork reminds us of our place in a larger narrative—both ecologically and historically. Editor: Definitely. It's an interesting meditation on seeing ourselves as temporary yet powerful inhabitants in the immensity of our surrounding natural world.