Andiamo! 2020

Editor: This is Carrie Graber’s oil painting “Andiamo!” from 2020. It has this very glamorous, retro feel...almost like a still from a movie. The bright colors are striking. What do you see in this piece, beyond its apparent aesthetic? Curator: Beyond the visual appeal, I see a commentary on class, race, and leisure. The painting is rendered in an almost hyper-realistic style which elevates the everyday lives of these figures, situating them within a specific cultural narrative. How do the figures relate to this space, and how does the space relate to them? Editor: That's interesting. I was so focused on the surface details and the bright color palette, but I didn't think about that. You’re talking about the composition suggesting a constructed reality? Curator: Precisely. Think about the historical context. The title “Andiamo!”, which means “Let’s go!” in Italian, hints at aspirational travel and leisure often associated with privilege. However, it’s not just about the material; the gaze and the styling might signal a reclamation of spaces historically coded as white. Is it truly leisure, or is it making a statement? Editor: So the very act of them occupying this luxurious scene is a form of… resistance? A kind of visual statement? Curator: Exactly! What would be your reading of their choice of colours, the body language of these figures? These choices reflect how identities can be actively performed. Editor: I never considered art this way! Now I am understanding art on a deeper level! Thank you. Curator: It’s about situating art within these broader frameworks and letting the conversations unfold, right? Now “Andiamo!” takes on a whole new layer of complexity.