Hydie 2018

Curator: Allow me to introduce "Hydie," a colored-pencil piece created by Camilla d'Errico in 2018. Its blend of realism and surrealism draws the eye. What's your first impression? Editor: Utterly dreamy and slightly melancholic. The soft pastel hues and the girl's downcast eyes create this delicate, almost mournful mood. And are those dragons intertwined in her hair? Curator: You noticed! Dragons frequently symbolize power, wisdom, and transformation. And notice how the white wing contrasts with the dragon forms, suggesting a struggle between purity and worldly experience, perhaps? Editor: Oh, I like that! It's as if her inner world is overflowing, taking shape in these mythical creatures and delicate butterflies. It feels incredibly personal, like peering into someone's subconscious. Curator: D'Errico often uses this juxtaposition of innocence and fantasy. The girl’s obscured vision resonates. Are we seeing a blindness to the world or maybe an insight available only to those who look inward? The butterflies feel like souls. Editor: The butterflies *are* fantastic, tethered so delicately. It gives a sense of fragility, as if these grand mythical ideas could float away at any moment. The coloured pencil work is so fine, you almost feel like you can touch them. Is it a comment on how we protect the things we treasure, maybe? Curator: That could certainly be read within a contemporary, conservationist context. There is a real interplay between inner strength and external pressures rendered visible through ancient and very contemporary symbols. It’s a real intersection of cultural mythologies, all vying for position. Editor: Exactly! It feels both ancient and totally now. It's like she’s captured this timeless struggle between reality and the realms of imagination. Well, that was a lovely dive! Curator: Indeed. The enduring resonance of symbols lies in their capacity for continuous interpretation and fresh application across eras. A constant rebirth, wouldn't you say?