To Her, We Do Return 

Curator: Sarah Joncas's piece, titled "To Her, We Do Return," presents a striking vision. Editor: It does have a captivating mood. There's an ethereal, almost melancholic quality evoked through its soft color palette and surreal imagery. Curator: Indeed. Joncas weaves together portraiture and surrealist elements here. I find it valuable to look at this in light of the burgeoning art being produced today surrounding womanhood and surrealism, particularly where artists are creating symbolic narratives about autonomy and the return to the natural world. Editor: That's a salient point. How do you see that at play here? Is it in the details? Curator: In a sense. We're dealing with a female figure emerging from the ocean, crowned, an otherworldly orb balanced just above her outstretched hand, a bird perched near her ear… These visual motifs create a discourse on what the “natural” even means within the framework of our modern society. Joncas seems to propose a revisioning. Editor: I’m curious about her engagement with classical archetypes. You have a goddess-like figure combined with very contemporary aesthetics, like in her facial features. How does this clash or blending of historical styles serve the artwork's socio-political role, in your view? Curator: The merging challenges established visual languages. Think of canonical depictions versus today’s diverse perspectives on power and beauty. The artist invites discussions on reshaping narratives of femininity by bridging past visual symbols with the realities and future of today's world. It asks what do we keep, what do we release. Editor: Absolutely. I appreciate how it steers away from overtly didactic commentary. This creates an emotional space for dialogue rather than imposing one perspective. I'm struck again by the emotional undercurrent, even beyond Joncas's narrative intentions. The power in this surreal representation resonates with an almost inexpressible yet deeply present sensation. Curator: I completely agree. The magic lies precisely there – not in easy answers, but the questions that echo long after you turn away. Editor: A truly beautiful springboard for those essential conversations.