Autumn Protest 

Editor: Looking at Tania Rivilis’s oil painting, “Autumn Protest”, what jumps out is the way she's laid the paint down so thickly, especially in the figure's striped shirt. The impasto technique makes me think about Van Gogh's self-portraits, that same kind of raw energy. What do you see in this work? Curator: Considering the tangible substance of this piece through its Neo-Expressionist style, my attention is on the labor and processes inherent in the image-making itself. Observe the raw handling of the oil paint. How do the pronounced brushstrokes draw attention to the very act of painting, almost like the means of artistic production becomes the protest? Editor: That’s an interesting way to put it. So, it's not just the figure's expression or stance that's conveying the protest, but the materiality of the painting itself? Curator: Precisely. The texture of the pigment, the artist’s direct engagement with the material, the potential tension embedded in its creation. It prompts reflection on consumption – of both artistic materials and perhaps, in a wider sense, societal resources. The painting shifts from a mere portrait to an exploration of tangible and intangible exertion. Does understanding the medium contribute new meaning to “Autumn Protest”? Editor: Absolutely, I now think about where the oil paint came from. Its industrial creation, and transportation. The canvas too! The way the paint’s applied, almost aggressively, emphasizes a physical effort, a pushback against... something. Curator: Indeed. By dissecting the art-making process, we acknowledge not only its inherent effort but the artist's deliberate choice to bring this element forward. The medium then is never neutral. Editor: Seeing the material in this way opens up so many more layers. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: My pleasure, analyzing art through a material lens always offers a fresh, dynamic encounter.