The Boat Series: The Weight 2009

Editor: Kerry O. Furlani's relief carving, "The Boat Series: The Weight," made in 2009. It looks like a stylized, maybe symbolic, depiction of burdens. What strikes me is its somber mood and the weight implied in the title and form. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I see it as a profound exploration of intergenerational burdens, echoing the labor and resilience of women across history. Notice how the boat, typically a symbol of safe passage and hope, here seems laden, burdened. What 'weight' do you think Furlani is trying to show us here? Editor: The 'weight'…perhaps the weight of societal expectations and domestic responsibilities traditionally placed on women? Curator: Precisely. Think of the boat as a vessel carrying not just physical cargo, but the accumulated experiences and unfulfilled dreams of generations. Consider also the geometric shapes versus the organic forms. What tension does that create for you? Editor: The contrast makes the figures and shapes seem very intentional and deliberate. Curator: Yes. It's as if Furlani is making visible the unseen labor, both physical and emotional, that shapes women’s lives and legacies. This invites viewers to think critically about the structures that create such burdens. What's your takeaway then? Editor: I'll definitely rethink relief sculpture as a powerful form for portraying historical and cultural narratives of female perseverance, making the invisible burdens of society visible. Curator: Exactly. The artwork speaks volumes about historical oppression and cultural stereotypes surrounding the feminine.