The Castle 2021

Editor: Here we have "The Castle," an oil painting done with visible impasto by Vincent Xeus in 2021. There's something incredibly dreamy about it. It reminds me of old Hollywood portraits done en plein air, but with a deliberately unfinished quality. What social narratives or cultural themes do you see emerging from a piece like this? Curator: It's fascinating how the artist utilizes both romantic and unfinished qualities, especially considering the art historical context. The impasto technique and outdoor setting harken back to Impressionism's focus on capturing fleeting moments, but the subject matter pushes against that. Xeus is, in effect, performing a post-modern reconstruction of an old Hollywood glamour shot, nodding to celebrity culture while simultaneously undermining its glossy perfection. Where does that put celebrity in our culture today, would you say? Editor: So it's less about celebrating beauty ideals and more about exploring our complicated relationship with them, especially in today's celebrity culture, where we’re inundated with idealized, and often unattainable, images? Curator: Precisely. This juxtaposition – the "realness" of the painting style versus the inherently constructed nature of portraiture – speaks to how the art world operates. It encourages viewers to question not just what they are seeing but how and why. How much does the setting—the plain air—contribute to that reading? Editor: I think it blurs the line between posed and candid, suggesting maybe even the outdoor casualness we often associate with "paparazzi" and contemporary ideas around celebrity… a "naturalization" of fame, but one that's very constructed in itself, still. Curator: Exactly! It prompts us to consider the public’s role in constructing these personas, and how artistic representations both reflect and perpetuate this cycle. Editor: That's a great perspective! I'll definitely be thinking about the artist's choices around technique and setting now, not just as aesthetic choices but also as critical social statements. Curator: And how museums perpetuate this cycle as well, and how artists use those institutions in their own practice. Something for all of us to consider further.