The acrobatic agreement 2018

Curator: This piece, titled "The Acrobatic Agreement", was created in 2018 by Soltan Soltanli. It’s an acrylic on canvas work. What’s your initial take? Editor: Well, it’s wonderfully peculiar. There's a definite dreamlike quality, perhaps a touch surreal with the rather serious-looking acrobat perched precariously on that horse. Curator: Precisely. I find the symbology rich here. The horse itself, a frequent emblem of power and nobility, paired with the acrobat, representing skill and flexibility. It creates an interesting dichotomy, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: I do, and I think it poses some questions about control and freedom, power structures perhaps. Consider the acrobat's red outfit – a very striking color. What emotional resonances does it trigger for you? Curator: Red often signifies vitality, courage, even defiance. In this context, I see it as the acrobat's assertion of self atop this imposing creature. And notice how deliberately naïve the art is. It eschews standard painterly convention in favour of clarity of theme. Editor: The deliberately flattened perspective also adds to that naïve, almost childlike, feel. It's less about realistic depiction and more about communicating a concept or feeling. And the barren landscape. How does that figure into this narrative? Curator: The blank background isolates them, which accentuates the sense of the strange accord between the pair. The horse steps, or dances, seemingly without guidance or purpose, only furthering that reading. Editor: It brings to mind historical circus acts, but strips away all the glamor and fanfare, leaving a concentrated essence of… what? Endurance? The everyday absurdity of cooperation? Curator: Yes! The performance stripped bare, revealing the negotiations, the compromises that underpin any shared endeavour, even a seemingly impossible one. Perhaps "agreement" is less acrobatic than it appears. Editor: A compelling interpretation! I came expecting a light-hearted image, but now I see a much richer social commentary. It is indeed quite revealing how an unexpected combination can completely redefine the symbolism.