Saving The Savior 

Curator: The work before us is "Saving the Savior," a painting by Dave Macdowell. Immediately, the cacophony of images strikes you, doesn't it? Editor: Yes, immediately chaotic! The colors are saturated, but there's a flatness that keeps it from feeling completely overwhelming. A real visual tension. Curator: Look at the symbols crammed together. The crucified figure – referencing Christ, perhaps – contrasts vividly with that almost cartoonish dragon and a Playboy-esque nun perched above. The work pulsates with allegorical allusions! Editor: Absolutely. And this layering... It creates an almost dreamlike illogical space, each element bumping against the next. I notice how the composition avoids any true central focal point, dispersing visual interest throughout the entire plane. Curator: And observe how Macdowell uses familiar archetypes – the Virgin figure pierced by arrows, for example – reimagining their significance in a bizarre, unsettling context. There are little boys with hamburger platters and signs pointing to "Awkward Puberty." It's an almost overwhelming accumulation of images. Editor: That's key, this accumulation serves to challenge our reading habits. Consider the role of the artist who deliberately resists closure by bombarding the viewer. Does this force us into active questioning of the imagery, or a more passive submission? Curator: Perhaps both? Macdowell may be forcing us to consider what we truly revere and what we cast aside. The combination of religious iconongraphy, commercial figures and cultural symbols seems intended to generate something of a crisis of meaning. Editor: Yes! The very materiality underscores the complexity; that hard acrylic finish contrasting with the fluid lines and fantastic imagery create visual dynamism. There is not just allegory, but an assault! Curator: A fair assessment, I'd say. Macdowell utilizes surreal juxtapositions as a mirror reflecting contemporary cultural obsessions, however uncomfortable. Editor: I agree. Well, after taking a good look, I find that piece, overall, challenging, but I think successfully. What I assumed at first to be random images is ultimately part of very cohesive iconography. Curator: Indeed! Macdowell provides much to think about through the many, dense layers here. The power lies in not knowing the artist's intention, instead considering our own.