Family and Animals 

Curator: Looking at Michonze’s “Family and Animals”, done with acrylic paint, I am immediately struck by the raw, almost frantic energy of this piece. It's loud in color and expression. Editor: Yes, there's a deliberate primitivism, isn’t there? I’m curious, what power structures are at play here, even subconsciously? The figures seem to be in active dialogue, some possibly protesting, some celebrating...It is like the composition unpacks the theatre of race and class. Curator: The raised hands, the open mouths – there's a powerful sense of call and response, or perhaps even a visual representation of the act of testifying, considering the artist's background and engagement with social justice. Editor: Beyond the social commentary, though, notice how the bird and goat are incorporated into this "family" portrait. The bird has always held potent symbolism – freedom, the soul. The goat speaks to earthiness and vitality. Their inclusion suggests something elemental about human relationships, a bond stretching beyond societal norms. Curator: The architecture in the background—a simplified house—does little to indicate stable notions of property or dwelling; perhaps Michonze is arguing for re-evaluations of domesticity. In that sense, the Fauvist influence can be seen not just in the colours but also in its challenge to academic and traditional representational models. Editor: Michonze almost presents to us an unfolding scene in a continuous frieze; how would we decode all of these actors if the men didn't all look like they were dressed for the same occasion? I read it as more than the presentation of the political climate or a sociological observation, it's a psychological panorama! Curator: Perhaps it’s both, a braiding of personal and political experience through symbolism and social narrative. What at first seems almost chaotic starts to solidify into a rich meditation on communal life and its discontents. Editor: Absolutely, the raw energy captures our attention, and the symbols invite us to dive into an open conversation with this singular image.