Nightfall 2020

Editor: Here we have Jana Brike's "Nightfall," created in 2020 using oil paint. I’m really struck by how dreamlike it feels – the girl, the deer with those striking markings… It feels like a very contemporary take on Romanticism. What's your take on it? Curator: Considering the artist's handling of oil paint, notice the textures – almost rough in places, like the deer's fur. That physicality, contrasted with the delicate flowers, raises questions about the labor involved. Is Brike romanticizing labor, or is she revealing the inherent tensions between natural beauty and human production? Look at those markings, almost like factory symbols, branding even. Editor: Branding… That's interesting. I hadn’t thought about the markings on the deer that way. More like folk art, almost naive. Curator: But naive art is still *made*. We have to think about the context – where did Brike learn to paint? Who is her audience? How does the consumption of her art factor into its meaning? Are those childlike markings subversive within the tradition of oil painting? Editor: So you're seeing the oil paint itself and the act of applying it as a key part of understanding the image? Curator: Precisely. Oil paint isn't just a neutral medium; it has a history tied to wealth, power, and specific modes of representation. Brike's use of it – the way she layers it, almost fighting against its inherent smoothness – speaks volumes. What do you make of the red ribbons? Are they factory cast-offs, decorative embellishments, or binding elements? Editor: I was drawn to them, but now I'm seeing them as more than just decoration; it feels like I am thinking more critically about all these choices. Curator: It’s about seeing beyond the surface, questioning the materials and the hands that shaped them, and situating the artwork within broader economic and social systems. Editor: Thanks; thinking about production like this changes how I read the whole thing! It’s not *just* pretty.