The Blue Diary 2016

Editor: Jana Brike’s 2016 painting, "The Blue Diary," crafted with oil paint, presents a young girl absorbed in reading amidst a dreamy seaside landscape. There’s a stillness to this scene, almost as if it’s capturing a very private, quiet moment. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, it’s a whisper of childhood dreams, isn’t it? The girl seems lost not just in the book, but in the hazy border between reality and imagination – you almost expect the words on the page to bloom into the very flowers surrounding her. Notice the dreamy quality Brike achieves with the muted palette. Editor: It’s quite effective. Curator: Absolutely! And that shoreline, a soft caress of water meeting land. It evokes nostalgia and perhaps a sense of yearning for simpler times. What does that closed book mean to you? I think it can speak so profoundly. Editor: It's interesting to consider what she’s writing and perhaps the artist invites the viewer to fill in the blanks, to imagine her thoughts. I get the impression it’s about capturing a fleeting moment. Curator: Precisely. Like trying to hold onto a memory as it fades, the girl clutches onto that diary. It also could touch upon childhood and innocence with some reflection or observation beyond those early years. So evocative and thought-provoking! Editor: It’s definitely given me a lot to think about – childhood, memory, and that blurred space between reality and dreams. I hadn't considered the deeper symbolism until now. Curator: Art’s greatest trick, isn't it? Making you pause and see your own reflection shimmering in the surface. I feel so lucky to share such a personal view today.