Woman with Walrus 

Curator: This is "Woman with Walrus," a painting attributed to Ken Kelly. It’s an acrylic painting with bold figurations, an image which straddles neo-expressionism and fantasy art. Editor: Oh, she’s something, isn’t she? It feels like an old dream, doesn’t it? The kind where everything is just slightly too intense, the colours, the gaze, and of course, the walruses. I like that, like something I cannot put my finger on from an epic I half remember. Curator: Well, Kelly’s career certainly touched on the epic. He’s primarily known for his contributions to fantasy art, creating imagery that directly catered to album art for bands and the illustration of heroic characters. One could say he’s providing a market demand. Editor: He’s leaning into that market for sure. Look at how the walruses are rendered almost as these regal beasts, protecting and elevating this woman. It feels… primeval almost, some echo from a long-forgotten myth cycle. The theatrical presentation! That's it! Curator: Consider also how the acrylic paint is applied. He layers washes of colour, particularly in the background, which is then juxtaposed against heavier application. Look closer, you will find it in the definition around her form. It allows the subject to be separated from its atmosphere. Editor: And what an atmosphere. Pale lilac and pink, very dreamy and diffuse. Her form, that angular almost intimidating presence walking forth accompanied by these powerful but docile… giants? It all comes across to me like that kind of hyper-real state just before you fully awaken, so tangible it bleeds. Curator: Indeed. It represents a key approach in genre-defining art that focuses on highly romanticised yet carefully constructed figures in fantastic narratives. So one must remember that there is an important commercial aspect to understand the piece. It could be cover art! Editor: Knowing that doesn’t detract from the impression. What stays with me, in spite of his material conditions that drive such images, is the way he gives a face to some deeper, less-defined part of our shared consciousness. I could see myself getting lost within that world. Curator: Agreed, a worthy approach! He successfully marries commercialism with what you so rightly pointed out, art’s ability to capture and give expression to feelings and our very nature.