Tamara 2022

Editor: Here we have Dragan Ilić Di Vogo's 2022 oil painting, "Tamara." The blending of realistic portraiture with surreal cityscapes gives it a dreamlike, almost floating quality. What visual stories do you find unfolding within this image? Curator: It’s a fascinating layering of realities, isn't it? Notice how the portrait of Tamara seems to almost bloom out of this cityscape, like a memory or an idea taking form. The cityscape itself— with its identifiable, contemporary architecture — grounds the portrait in a specific time, yet the presence of the planetoid introduces a sense of timelessness, an expansive "once upon a time," if you will. Does the juxtaposition resonate with you? Editor: Definitely, the blend is intriguing, the modern cityscape paired with that distant planet really stretches the idea of where and when this is happening. The flowing, almost liquid quality that connects Tamara to the city—how does that contribute? Curator: Precisely. That visual linking speaks to me of a deeper connection, a psychological landscape where the self is intrinsically intertwined with the built environment, or even more universally: connected to the cosmos. Those tendrils almost suggest neural pathways, perhaps indicating the city exists within Tamara’s mind, or she within its collective consciousness. What emotional undercurrent does this merging create for you? Editor: I think it hints at the powerful influence environment has in shaping identity; also that our inner worlds contain entire universes of memory and imagination. So, identity becomes this fluid, shifting interplay of external and internal. Curator: A wonderful reading! It exemplifies the painting's potent use of visual symbols and the continuing dialogue between person and place. It seems the artist encourages us to acknowledge the powerful reciprocal relationship that shape our sense of being. What a truly thoughtful, contemporary iconography, don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely, it highlights how symbols aren't fixed but evolve with our understanding and experiences. Thank you!