Portrait of Geanette Mormon 

Editor: So here we have Edward Runci’s oil painting "Portrait of Geanette Mormon." I'm really struck by the hyper-realistic yet almost dreamlike quality of the image, almost as if it could be used as an advertisement from the mid-twentieth century. How do you read this portrait? Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn to the materiality of the oil paint itself, the textures achieved, the sheen on her skin. Consider how this glossy, almost hyperreal finish intersects with the portrayal of femininity here, possibly commodifying it, especially since Runci was prolific as a pin-up artist for magazines. Can you see the ways the medium itself plays a role in shaping this portrayal? Editor: I do! It feels deliberately crafted, like it’s manufactured to appeal. Is the choice of oil-paint itself a commentary on the perceived value of this image of beauty and glamour? Curator: Precisely! Think about the historical context of oil paint versus, say, watercolor. Oil paint was traditionally associated with 'high art' – permanence, richness, the patronage of the elite. Runci using oil is deliberately elevating this image but to what purpose? The ‘perfected’ manufactured look also connects to the industrial reproduction processes of magazine publishing. There is labour and intention. Editor: Interesting point; it feels like Runci questions and even critiques our understanding of conventional beauty standards. And how the art materials themselves, alongside printing processes, further complicate our understanding. Curator: Yes! We cannot divorce art from the means and labor of its production. Each material choice impacts the message. Editor: This conversation opened my eyes! I definitely walked in looking at it just as face-value ‘beauty’, now I understand its materiality makes this art very poignant in its commentary. Curator: And that tension, that examination, is precisely what makes the image so compelling. Seeing the artwork's physicality lets you also better appreciate its potential to instigate discussions and ask profound questions about material and culture.