Retablo 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have *Retablo*, a mixed-media piece made between 1935 and 1942. The colors and stylized figures give it an almost Byzantine feel, yet there’s something distinctly folk-arty about the surrounding details. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to how it marries Christian iconography with indigenous aesthetics. Note how the central figure and child are rendered, but then observe the frame – the patterns, colors. What feelings do those evoke in you? Does it feel like pure decoration? Editor: Not purely. The frame almost seems protective, like it’s both sheltering the figures and presenting them. I see comfort and perhaps reverence in it. Curator: Exactly. Think of "retablo" itself, traditionally a devotional painting on wood. This piece reimagines that tradition. Consider, too, the psychological impact of the cultural mixing – the familiar Virgin and Child motif, yet filtered through another lens. Does it soften the traditional power dynamic we often associate with those images? Editor: I think it does. The piece feels less formal, more accessible, almost as if the figures are being brought into the viewer’s world. Curator: Precisely. The symbols and their reimagining open up pathways to approach these figures anew, shedding light on our understanding of cultural memory and faith. A powerful reminder of syncretism and adaptation. Editor: It’s fascinating how the blend of familiar and unfamiliar makes you consider the original symbols with fresh eyes. Curator: And that's the power of cultural symbols—they are not static but evolve and transform through time and across cultures. The retablo provides fertile ground to study how our shared memories are encoded, layered, and sometimes, beautifully reimagined.