Hades 

Editor: This is "Hades," a digital portrait by Fernanda Suarez, though I'm not sure when it was created. It evokes a strong, almost regal mood. The blues give a coolness, but there's an intensity in his eyes. The Cerberus-like dogs definitely amp up the intimidation factor. What’s your interpretation? Curator: Oh, I like the chill you’re picking up on. To me, this piece is less about coldness and more about contemplation. See how the blue flames licking around his head mimic a halo? It suggests power, sure, but also burden. Think about it: ruling the underworld isn't all fire and brimstone. It's also managing an entire kingdom, making tough calls, carrying the weight of souls. That stern look could be exhaustion! Editor: That’s a fascinating way to put it! The ‘exhausted ruler’ instead of ‘scary overlord’ angle. I also hadn't thought about the skull decorations as his environment, maybe trophies… Maybe paperwork! But doesn't the fact that the artist is playing with the classical myth so freely give the piece a sort of… modern accessibility? Curator: Precisely! Fernanda Suarez isn’t just rehashing old myths; she's humanizing them, updating them, finding relatable drama within ancient archetypes. By giving Hades a contemporary look, even a touch of that Byronic hero vibe, she's reminding us that these stories still resonate because they speak to timeless human experiences: power, responsibility, loneliness, the endless slog of daily tasks…even in the underworld! Editor: It completely reframes how I initially perceived it. Thanks, I’ll be rethinking the role of classical myths in art from now on! Curator: And I’ll be less quick to judge a book—or a God of the Underworld—by its cover. It is, at heart, the artist’s purpose to expand our worldview, even with familiar topics.