Bombus 2020

Editor: So, this is "Bombus" by Camilla d'Errico, from 2020. It looks like it's acrylic paint. It's kind of whimsical, a little girl holding what looks like a technicolor bumblebee. It's a little unsettling, to be honest, but in a cute way. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Let us observe the interplay of figuration and color. D'Errico uses acrylic to create a smooth, almost porcelain-like finish on the child’s skin, a stark contrast to the fuzzy texture of the…bombus. The juxtaposition draws attention to the artist’s control of medium and surface. What effect does this tactile difference produce? Editor: I guess it makes the bee seem almost unreal, like a plush toy rather than a real creature? The textures really clash. Curator: Precisely. Consider also the portrait format: the figure is centered, the background muted. The limited palette emphasizes the visual impact of the bee, directing our gaze and potentially acting as an allegorical figure representing transformation, like in surrealist art. The rainbow could point to this, by the way. Editor: So you are saying that the bee's disruptive color scheme affects the interpretation? Curator: It becomes central to our formal reading, yes. Disruptive isn’t quite the correct term, rather heightened through contrast with the girl's duller pallor. What is your impression of her face? Editor: Her wide-eyed expression? It's a common feature in a lot of contemporary portraits. There is also an element of wonder, or confusion maybe? Curator: Yes, it provides a counterpoint. Through close examination, the artist uses visual contrast to spark interpretive activity from the viewer. Editor: This has given me a different way to appreciate the balance of it all, I definitely look at it differently. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Hopefully it has offered insight into the process of rigorous looking and evaluation of technique.