Lady Lazarus 

Curator: Here we have Sarah Joncas's piece titled "Lady Lazarus". It’s a stunning example of her portraiture, executed in acrylic paint. Editor: It has a rather dreamy quality, almost a melancholic tranquility. The flowing turquoise of the hair and water create a beautiful sense of depth, drawing the eye in and around the figure. Curator: Indeed. The allusion to Plath is palpable. Lady Lazarus was of course Plath’s alter ego, and Joncas conjures that spirit of near-drowning but miraculous survival so powerfully. It challenges the societal constraints imposed on female expression and suffering. Editor: I agree. Structurally, the butterflies function almost as punctuations. The dark water behind suggests depth but could just as easily signal suffocation; their flight introduces tension to the composition. And the artist juxtaposes that with very sharp detail in the subject’s expression. Curator: It is also striking how Joncas's work transcends simple portraiture; it acts as a commentary on the objectification of women throughout art history. She uses these very tropes of beauty to suggest confinement rather than empowerment. The log also references a loss of control or the process of relinquishing. Editor: Interesting interpretation. I perceived the log as the subject's foundation. I love the textures present, between the smooth pale skin and the ripples of light moving across it. This emphasizes the vulnerability and the overall sensuality, in part because the cool tones of turquoise provide a contrasting temperature for her coloring. Curator: Considering the themes that artists explored at that time, and in particular Sarah's focus, I view "Lady Lazarus" not just as a visually arresting artwork, but as a statement, echoing feminist ideals of resisting external definitions. Editor: For me, it’s about that feeling you get looking into another’s eyes and detecting a familiar and similar human consciousness. The technique is wonderful. The overall effect makes us confront not only her emotional state but the complexity that art allows.