Lack Of Emotion 2019

Curator: Jason Limon’s mixed-media piece from 2019, "Lack of Emotion," immediately strikes me as rather theatrical, wouldn't you say? Editor: Yes, and darkly whimsical! My first thought went straight to the process of creation; the juxtaposition of what looks like tempera paint with collage elements implies careful planning but also embraces spontaneity. What’s your read? Curator: It’s clearly a commentary on emotional representation, seen through a somewhat grotesque yet compelling lens. The floating disembodied head is emblazoned with “NOtion/Emotion”. It suggests a breakdown of feelings into fragmented concepts. Editor: Absolutely. The lettering itself, its font and placement, draws attention to mass production techniques in advertisement and product design, only here, the *product* is emotional detachment, ironically handcrafted. And consider the little skeleton figure—it almost appears to be assembling the skull-box with a sewing kit. Curator: That's fascinating, thinking about it through the lens of labor. I was focusing on its place in a larger history of surrealist works critiquing bourgeois sentimentality; the skeleton almost mocking established emotional conventions. There are undertones here of street art culture, too. Editor: Good point. Look closely at the textures: smooth versus rough, manufactured versus seemingly handmade. These tactile contrasts pull us into Limon’s critical assessment of our modern landscape dominated by consumer culture. Is authentic feeling even possible under capitalism, the work seems to ask. Curator: Precisely. He uses a blend of Pop Surrealism and figuration to unpack complex cultural critiques. The title is stark, direct – almost like a statement, but the painting itself unfolds into multiple narrative layers. It becomes a visual representation of societal constructs dictating what we are "allowed" to feel. Editor: It’s like a tiny morality play set against a star-dusted void. And note how effectively he uses what look like found materials, things that might otherwise be discarded. He elevates humble objects into something evocative. That, in itself, becomes a subtle rebellion. Curator: I concur entirely. Seeing how it resonates, decades into our increasingly digital experience…it's unsettlingly apt. Editor: Definitely leaves one thinking. Its power really lies in that complex layering, inviting you to pull on just one string and have a whole new world unfold.