Betsy and Alyssa 2011

Editor: This is "Betsy and Alyssa," an acrylic on canvas painting by Bo Bartlett from 2011. It's a striking double portrait. The figures are set against an expanse of blue, and it feels very intimate, almost like a Renaissance Madonna. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What immediately strikes me is the way Bartlett engages with the Madonna icon, but twists it. Notice how the figures are posed? The positioning evokes protection and closeness, themes often present in traditional Madonna depictions, but the subjects' gaze is direct and knowing, which departs from the demure look we often see. Editor: I see that. It's like they're both present, vulnerable and powerful at the same time. It makes you wonder about their relationship. Curator: Precisely. The cool, clear light adds to that sense of self-possession. And what do you make of the water implied by the background's color, a vast sea perhaps? Could that allude to baptism, rebirth, a sort of symbolic cleansing before a moment of revealed truth? What memories or continuity might these figures be experiencing? Editor: That's fascinating. The background did seem endless, not like the inside of a studio or anything. Thinking of baptism suggests some new phase. Curator: These recurring motifs, even in modern portraiture, are intriguing. They highlight how contemporary artists rework ancient visual languages to speak about modern experiences, and vice versa. We still read each other through cultural filters inherited from centuries ago, re-experiencing love and protection in updated symbolic forms. Editor: I hadn’t considered that depth of history informing a contemporary painting. It’s given me a completely new appreciation for it! Curator: Indeed! Visual motifs weave complex, ongoing narratives in our collective memory. Recognizing them is the first step towards a much deeper aesthetic experience.