The Wizard Coz 2015

Curator: Welcome. We are looking at Dave Macdowell's 2015 piece, "The Wizard Coz", an acrylic on canvas. Editor: It's striking. The immediate sense I get is of surreal unease mixed with almost satirical commentary on the 'Wizard of Oz'. The sheer scale of the looming face dominating the composition is unsettling. Curator: Absolutely. Macdowell is known for his pop-surrealist style, often using recognizable imagery to critique cultural phenomena. This painting blends "The Wizard of Oz" with a clear, contemporary social allegory. Look at the path before Dorothy and her friends. Editor: Yes, it's scattered with what appear to be pills or capsules. The ruby slippers, a symbol of home and belonging in the original story, feel almost tainted by this environment of what appears to be dependence on a substance. Curator: Precisely. The pills might signify an over-reliance on pharmaceuticals, perhaps referencing addiction or the numbing effect of contemporary society. Macdowell uses "Oz" as a framework to explore the illusions offered by contemporary systems. Consider the material itself; acrylic, quick-drying and versatile. Mass produced. Editor: It lends a flattened quality to the images. Note how Macdowell uses this flatness. The portrait of the face is rather crude in its detail when you consider the precision of the characters from the back. It creates a jarring contrast, further heightening the surreal quality. The material feels relevant. The painting mimics artifice through form and construction. Curator: It is a commentary on the manufactured nature of the ‘wizard’ figure. We, as viewers, are implicated. Editor: What I appreciate about Macdowell's piece is the ambiguity it holds. It invites scrutiny of the very process of myth-making, particularly in the context of commercialization and cultural symbols. It pushes me to reflect on artifice versus authenticity, not just in art, but in everyday life. Curator: Indeed. It's a compelling engagement with the social function of symbols. This encourages an analysis of not just "what" is represented, but "how" the representation affects the audience's engagement with contemporary anxieties about dependence. Editor: A thought-provoking piece of work that remains with you long after you move on. Curator: Very much so. Thanks for joining us.