Figures 

Curator: Welcome. We are standing before “Figures” by Dimitris Mytaras, a piece that invites contemplation. Editor: It certainly does. My immediate response is a feeling of fractured narratives, a sense of dreams half-remembered, perhaps rendered in watercolor or acrylic with hints of oil pastel. Curator: Precisely. The use of these materials, layered and fluid, seems key to understanding the artist's intent. I find a recurring theme of duality: figures within figures, suggestive of the conscious and subconscious. That red square bisecting the image seems significant. Editor: Absolutely, the interplay of colors like that rich red set against the violet face presents a striking dichotomy. Notice how the sharp angles of the geometric forms contrast with the more organic shapes of the figures? Curator: Yes, the square could be interpreted as a symbol of constraint, or even societal norms, while the human figures struggle within its boundaries, seeking a more fluid expression. The figures above look as if in struggle, even violence. It makes you question the figures' relationship. Editor: And consider how the painterly strokes, especially around the lower section, bleed into each other. There's an interesting tension created by those flowing lines versus the more defined, angular shapes above. That could reference chaos and order in the figures' relationship. Curator: I think so too, yes. And look how the use of the yellow area gives space for these images, evoking hope perhaps for these figures trapped in time. Editor: Perhaps it is naive art, speaking to more basic levels of understanding and empathy? In general, how do we see it now? The piece does evoke many potential feelings and emotions based upon our own human understanding of relationships. Curator: Indeed, what appears a somewhat simplistic painting holds layers of meaning when we study its components, the careful construction, and symbolism, offering up cultural memories. Editor: Looking more closely, you are so right; and together, it’s interesting how technique reinforces thematic ideas that are relevant, even in modern times. I am now able to step away from simply colors and geometry.