From "Mickey Mask" 2011

Samira Eskandarfar has created this painting, "From Mickey Mask," with careful brushwork and a limited but powerful palette. I can imagine the artist starting with the blank canvas, laying down the stark black of the mask, a bold move that sets the tone. Then comes the fleshy tone around the mouth, which is painted with such tender detail in contrast to the starkness of the mask. The lips are painted with glossy lilac, a color that feels both artificial and alluring. I wonder what Eskandarfar was thinking as she added that whimsical purple bow with its perky white polka dots, a sweet gesture at the top of the figure’s head. It’s such a contrast to the anonymity of the black mask. I suppose artists borrow from each other all the time. I’m reminded of Magritte. Artists are constantly riffing off each other's ideas. It's a huge conversation across time. This painting invites us to reflect on the play between concealment and revelation, exploring the tensions between identity, fantasy, and desire. There’s no right way to interpret it.