Untitled 

Curator: Here we have a compelling, untitled mixed-media painting, it seems to be contemporary in nature, which offers a fascinating exploration of figuration. Editor: My first impression is the palpable tension. The crimson figures seem to push against a fractured sky, creating an atmosphere of unease and suppressed emotion. It is like a gathering on the brink. Curator: It's worth noting the piece feels like an intersection between Abstract Expressionism and perhaps some Graffiti art influences. This speaks to the democratization of artistic styles that is happening even today. The lack of title pushes for individualized connection instead of a directed point. Editor: Indeed. The tension emanates partly from the stark contrast of line and space. The figures rendered mostly in red outlines appear flat, almost floating, yet they are situated amongst other characters like witnesses on an elevated, solid stage. The red linear details mimic what appears to be the open sky. Curator: I find the group portrait intriguing. The arrangement prompts questions about communal identity and individual roles within the group, which can be placed in our era of extreme isolation. Who do you think are the subjects and how do we find ways to keep a sense of connectivity with one another? Editor: Yes, there’s an unsettling effect, and much is conveyed through the distortion of forms. Notice the almost caricatured faces below the central figure. The eyes are haunting, questioning, making the figures become present for the audience. What do we make of them, and their gazes in unison? Curator: Perhaps the distorted faces are the contemporary iteration of modern anxiety and group think that our digital culture tends to create. This is the first thought, because so much contemporary art challenges systems of power that the artists see, but also asks about our own complacency. The work is a reflection on where society is now. Editor: The convergence of these bold red shapes—almost hieroglyphic in their simplification and rawness is thought provoking. But still, the power of art resides in its ability to elicit an emotional response even without fixed meanings. Curator: Agreed, and the act of observation is a powerful agent of that experience in art. Editor: Definitely.