Detail: Siva on Elephant's Howdah, after stone relief at Angkor Wat 19th-20th century

Curator: This is Joseph Smith’s "Detail: Siva on Elephant's Howdah, after stone relief at Angkor Wat," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It strikes me as both regal and remote. Editor: The prevalence of fan imagery throughout the composition speaks volumes. Fans symbolize not only status and authority but also the controlled dissemination of influence. How does this reflect the historical power dynamics at play within Angor Wat? Curator: It's fascinating how Smith, an American artist, interprets a classical Cambodian symbol through his unique perspective. His choice to create it nearly life-size, at 99.1 x 109.2 cm, suggests an attempt to engage with, perhaps even challenge, the original cultural narrative. Editor: Consider the implications of appropriation, and whether the artist engaged with Cambodian communities. The piece also invites us to consider the gaze itself, who looks and who is looked at, and what histories are amplified or suppressed in the process. Curator: The act of reinterpreting historical reliefs through a modern lens invites a crucial dialogue about cultural legacies, power dynamics, and representation in art. Editor: Indeed. Smith's work becomes a springboard for conversations about our complex relationship with the past.