Lilac and Azure Skies 2021

Carrie Graber presents a scene of leisure with Lilac and Azure Skies, capturing a moment suspended in time. Observe the hat worn by the figure. It isn't merely a shield from the sun; it's a modern echo of classical antiquity's laurel wreaths, symbols of triumph and status. Here, it speaks of curated leisure, a deliberate performance of relaxation. Think of Boccaccio's Decameron, where characters retreat to a villa to escape the plague, indulging in pleasure amidst crisis. Our figure, with her cocktail, mirrors this age-old human response to chaos: a turn towards personal gratification. The pool, too, is not just water; it's a Narcissus mirror, reflecting and perhaps distorting reality. It invites us to reflect on our own desires and the fleeting nature of beauty and satisfaction, a theme that resurfaces across epochs. The scene captures a cyclical human desire: the pursuit of pleasure as both an escape and a confrontation with our mortality.