Perpetua 2006

Editor: We’re looking at “Perpetua,” an oil painting by Roberto Ferri, created in 2006. It features two figures intertwined before what appears to be a large astrolabe. There's an incredible sense of struggle and torment in this painting; what kind of narrative is Ferri constructing here? Curator: I see a powerful interrogation of internalized oppression and the constraints of historical structures. The astrolabe, a symbol of knowledge and navigation, becomes a gilded cage here. Who do you think the figures represent? Editor: Perhaps one is the conscious and the other an alter ego or shadow self? The paleness almost suggests a spectral form? Curator: Exactly. The spectral figure, seemingly a past self or internalized expectation, restricts the agency of the figure beneath. Consider the title “Perpetua," evoking ideas of eternal constraint or, perhaps more pointedly, the story of Perpetua, the noblewoman martyred for her faith, who arguably becomes a feminist figure. Doesn't that complicate your initial reading? Editor: Absolutely! It infuses the struggle with gendered and historical dimensions. So, Ferri isn’t just depicting individual torment, but the weight of societal expectations imposed, perhaps specifically, on women? Curator: Precisely! Note the contrast between the dynamism of the figures and the static nature of the astrolabe, reinforcing the tension between individual will and societal constructs. What implications might there be here? Editor: The use of Perpetua’s name reframes the notion of heroism by looking critically at past narratives and expectations, and through this subverts them. The artist proposes, possibly, that personal agency in itself is the goal. Curator: Precisely, by appropriating established ideas, Ferri provides a poignant observation on the complex relationship between power, identity, and representation throughout history. Editor: I had originally seen the image in a different light, as one of torment, but seeing it as defiance is really fascinating and encouraging.