Waning 

Curator: Erik Thor Sandberg's oil painting, entitled "Waning," immediately strikes me as a study in contrasts. The painting support itself is rather unique; its hexagonal form pushes against the realistic depictions, creating an almost surreal effect. Editor: Hexagonal, yes, like the facets of an insect's eye. That initial reaction, for me, is discomfort. There's something deeply unsettling about the figures, their scale, their expressions... Is that even an outdoor scene? The strange nest of critters above the doorway suggests an abandonment, a collapse. Curator: Precisely. Note the stark difference in textures—the smooth, almost porcelain skin of the figures versus the rough materiality implied in the ground and architectural element behind. And consider the use of color; the limited palette, focusing on earth tones and fleshy hues, enhances the sense of something decaying, hence the name I'd assume, waning. Editor: Symbolically, a woman is offering food to a large, infantile being. I’m tempted to ask, what appetites are being indulged here? And at what cost? The setting—the suggestion of classical architecture invaded by wildlife—presents a decay, perhaps even that of civilization succumbing to more primal urges. The bowl might symbolize indulgence, or maybe a vessel, from which the seated baby like form overindulges. Curator: The tension created between traditional genre-painting techniques, evident in the handling of light and shadow, with this contemporary, somewhat disturbing, subject matter is brilliant. Observe how Sandberg employs realism to depict the bizarre, achieving a visual paradox. This approach complicates any straightforward interpretation, requiring us to question the relationships, forms and structures presented within the piece. Editor: And even that strange spoon implies that the moment may occur over and over and over and over again... There’s a cyclical dimension to the image’s symbolism, a waning without end. In essence, is he pointing towards cultural decline— a regression to a more primitive, self-indulgent state? Curator: Yes, perhaps that circular reference of infinite dependency of the baby hints towards more widespread consumption, which makes the shape of this painting especially more compelling. The painting truly demonstrates the tension between our aesthetic expectations and subconscious projections that great art brings. Editor: "Waning", for me, remains a disquieting piece— a vivid, uncomfortable dream exploring those cultural anxieties that haunt our collective psyche. The stark realism enhances the unnerving effect, lingering in the mind long after viewing it.