The woman catching the butterfly 2018

Editor: So, we’re looking at Soltan Soltanli’s 2018 acrylic painting, "The Woman Catching the Butterfly." I find the composition quite striking; it feels both whimsical and slightly unsettling. There's something about the pursuit depicted that's both exciting and elusive. What do you see in this piece from a formalist perspective? Curator: The immediate attraction lies in its orchestration of color and form. The stark contrast between the vibrant red dress of the woman and the darker tones of the horse create a visual tension, setting the stage for a semiotic reading of desire and pursuit. Observe how the painter segments foreground and background, emphasizing through differing paint application the field’s liveliness and the sky’s ethereal remove. Editor: The way the paint is applied really stands out now that you mention it! The sky and grass feel almost textured because of the paint, versus the smooth surface of the horse and rider. It’s such a stark difference. Is the choice of acrylic significant, beyond its texture? Curator: The acrylic allows for layered applications and a vibrant, almost synthetic color palette, enhancing the feeling of a constructed reality. Semiotically, acrylic's qualities work against the more traditional illusionistic depth of oil paint, reinforcing the image's focus on artifice and its contemporary roots. How does that heightened contrast resonate with you? Editor: I think it amplifies that sense of a staged scene, making it less about a real moment and more about... an idea, maybe? The very distinct areas you pointed out makes me wonder whether that’s the intention of the painting, maybe a feeling rather than an image. Curator: Precisely. Form here dictates how meaning is perceived; without careful examination, the interplay of color and texture and balance might escape us. It reinforces the painting's conceptual foundation. Editor: I see how a closer look at the composition helps uncover potential meanings. I had looked right past it at first!