Fixation 2016

Editor: So, here we have Martine Johanna's "Fixation," painted in 2016 using acrylics. The piece really grabbed me – there's this wistful, almost melancholic air about her, framed by these intriguing horizontal lines. What do you see in this work, what thoughts do you have? Curator: Oh, I love the feeling of disrupted beauty, the digital-age aesthetic. It reminds me of when a VHS tape would glitch. Johanna uses those interruptions in color, those digital jitters, to create an interesting tension. Isn't it strange how something broken or distorted can become even more captivating? What does 'fixation' mean to you, visually? Editor: Well, I was thinking the subject seems completely absorbed, and her gaze makes me think that fixation has perhaps negative connotations? Is she trapped in a thought? I wasn't sure if I should consider her hair color! It looks unreal, an hyper-aesthetic almost? Curator: Ah, pink hair! A symbol of playful rebellion, no? She’s both intensely present and seemingly fading away. Her fixed state of mind becomes ours. It invites a really personal connection, a window into her introspection. Are we also becoming fixated simply by gazing? It becomes a visual echo of our own wandering minds. Do you get that sense? Editor: That’s an interesting take, that the 'fixation' works both ways – her's and ours as viewers! The painting also puts on display such vivid colours. This has opened up an array of potential interpretations, really. Thanks. Curator: Exactly. I see the painting now through fresh eyes, too.