Wing Seller 2006

Curator: This is Stefan Caltia’s "Wing Seller," created in 2006, executed with watercolors, a delicate dance of figure and landscape. Editor: My first impression is that it is hauntingly delicate, ethereal even. The colors are so muted, almost washed out, like a fading memory. Curator: That sense of faded memory resonates strongly. Caltia often uses dreamlike imagery to tap into shared cultural symbols of longing and transition. The wings, prominently displayed, evoke Icarus but also spiritual ascendance. Editor: Interesting. I see them more as commodities. Look at the way they’re presented on that stick. The almost skeletal trees contrast with the lightness implied by wings; this reinforces the idea that flight – freedom – is something being sold, not given freely. The figure’s robe suggests a woven textile – and what process went into that? Curator: The watercolor technique lends itself to layers of symbolism. The transparency mimics the insubstantial nature of dreams, hopes, or even the soul. Note how the figure is dressed: the hat and long robes lend an air of ritual. Editor: Ritual… or labour? Thinking about it, watercolors are deceptively simple, each wash depends on careful planning. The effect here almost resembles early photographic processes with similar soft, blurred edges, labor-intensive stuff back then, not so easy as filters nowadays. Curator: Perhaps it’s both? Ritualized labor, a dedication to craft as a form of spiritual practice. The seller’s detached expression could represent detachment from the transaction, or it could signify someone focused solely on the act. Editor: I guess I find that distance unsettling – a detachment inherent in systems of trade. It disconnects us from the inherent value, from the materials and process of the labor behind these "wings" being sold. Curator: The tension you point out is certainly present: the potential for soaring freedom, commodified and traded against a backdrop of barren trees that imply something has already been lost. Editor: Well, examining the textures has definitely shifted my perspective. It’s more complex than it first appeared! Curator: Indeed, exploring both the image and its creation opens layers of meaning—Caltia challenges us to consider what we sacrifice in the pursuit of dreams and their representations.