Happiness of the Regency 2013

Curator: Here we have Alexander Roitburd's 2013 oil painting, "Happiness of the Regency." It's an interesting take on figuration and portraiture with a strong Neo-Expressionist bent. Editor: My first impression is one of unease. The fleshy tones, the distorted figures, and that unnerving turquoise backdrop create a distinctly unsettling atmosphere, despite the title’s promise of happiness. Curator: Absolutely. Note how Roitburd utilizes this almost dreamlike or nightmarish imagery. The figures looming over the reclining figure are both protective and menacing, perhaps alluding to power dynamics and control inherent in periods of regency. Consider, too, those biomorphic forms scattered around the figures: each functions as its own visual and psychological prompt for free-association. Editor: It’s the materials, too. The thick application of oil paint contributes to the work’s unsettling texture. I'm interested in the visible brushstrokes, they seem hastily applied, as if the scene were urgently, even frantically, recorded, and how that reflects on the cultural anxieties of the time. Curator: The sleeping figure’s uniform and cap certainly evoke themes of authority and perhaps even fallen leadership. And these bulbous, nude forms above seem to be the purveyors of both the golf courses (perhaps as sites of elite enjoyment and relaxation) as well as what looks like a cell with split chromosomes—a biological warning sign. What do you make of these additions? Editor: I’m wondering about the physical process of creating this. How many layers of paint? Were those forms planned, or did they evolve spontaneously? What specific materials did Roitburd choose, and how do their inherent qualities—opacity, texture—contribute to the overall message? I mean, are these images about "Happiness", or about how power and leisure are manufactured, mediated through very real processes of artistic labor? Curator: It does challenge the notion of straightforward representation. It's a narrative of emotionality, of power, but also of a culture possibly teetering on some unknown threshold. Editor: Indeed. A stark reminder of how art can grapple with complex societal issues. Curator: Leaving us with more questions than answers about happiness and power in our era.