Ramona Bataclana 1965

Curator: Antonio Berni's *Ramona Bataclana* really jumps out, doesn't it? I mean, what’s your first thought looking at her? Editor: Utterly decadent! The textures, the colours... almost painfully opulent, like a beautiful wound. I'm drawn in by all the ornamentation. Curator: Berni made her from a variety of materials – collage and mixed media. He assembled it all to represent Ramona's complex reality and the materiality of her world. Editor: The fact that it is made with collage reveals that he is taking a critical position towards consumer culture by repurposing materials from everyday life. It's the aesthetic of excess reflecting on exploitation. Curator: Exactly! It’s like he's saying, "Look at the layers, the constructed nature of it all!" She is a character, a narrative built piece by piece. Editor: A very tactile, and somewhat aggressive, kind of beauty. I want to touch it, to peel back the layers and discover what's underneath, but I also feel like I shouldn't. Curator: Well, I think we've both been thoroughly seduced by Ramona’s raw energy. Editor: Seduction, yes. A powerful reminder of the politics embedded even in what we consider beautiful.