Variety – Only The Brave 2017

Editor: Here we have Robert Sammelin's "Variety – Only The Brave" from 2017, seemingly created digitally. It strikes me as quite intense with all the flames depicted around this profile portrait of a firefighter. How do you interpret this work focusing on its formal elements? Curator: Focusing on its pure form, the illustration employs a limited but highly saturated color palette of primarily oranges, yellows, and reds. These colours, associated with fire, dominate the composition and amplify the sensation of heat. Note how the sharp, defined outlines –almost like traditional comic art – contrast with the implied movement within the flames themselves. Do you see how this tension creates a visually dynamic composition? Editor: Yes, definitely. The bold lines against the vibrant but somewhat flat color creates a unique visual rhythm. And the caricature style certainly adds to that heightened feel. Curator: Precisely. The distortion in the firefighter's features—the pronounced nose, the slightly exaggerated expression—adds another layer. It pushes the artwork away from simple representation. How do you think this stylistic choice impacts our engagement with the piece? Editor: It makes the portrait less about realism, perhaps drawing us towards a commentary on bravery, and maybe the pressures or stresses associated with such dangerous work? The focus is then less on the literal and more on some kind of expression of what being a firefighter really *feels* like. Curator: Indeed. By disrupting realistic depiction through bold stylization and emphasis on colour and line, Sammelin delivers a more conceptually loaded artwork than a standard portrait ever could. We've moved beyond the surface details into more intriguing representational territories. Editor: I never would have considered how the simple distortion in lines could elevate the piece’s underlying message. Curator: And by focusing solely on these elements, one can gain a fuller appreciation for the artistic statement as a whole.