The New York Times – Op-Ed – Are ‘Near Death Experiences’ Real 2020

Curator: This intriguing piece is "The New York Times – Op-Ed – Are ‘Near Death Experiences’ Real," created in 2020 by Owen Gent. It seems to employ watercolor and drawing techniques, a blend I find particularly striking. What is your immediate impression? Editor: There's an undeniable dreamlike quality. The stark contrast between the dark, grounded figure and the ethereal, floating one is quite arresting. It evokes a sense of transcendence, yet also, perhaps, loss. Curator: Indeed. The floating figure, bathed in white, certainly carries associations with traditional iconography of the soul leaving the body. I wonder, though, about the context. As an Op-Ed illustration, it's clearly engaging with contemporary discourse around the nature of consciousness and mortality. It echoes ancient beliefs about the journey of the soul after death, and what it is to truly "be" present in life. Editor: And the choice of watercolor is fascinating. It gives a fluid, almost transient feel to the figures, further emphasizing this state of in-between, of life and… not-life. Watercolors were considered the perfect medium to express an ethereal, somewhat intangible, theme. Curator: It's interesting to consider the role of The New York Times here. By commissioning a piece like this, it positions itself not just as a provider of news but as a platform for exploring profound existential questions. Are we seeing a blurring of boundaries between journalism, philosophy, and spiritual inquiry? Is it, or is it not, an artistic rendering and interpretation of complex ideas? Editor: Perhaps. Or maybe it speaks to the increasing openness of mainstream media to topics previously relegated to the fringes. People want to understand things outside their grasp, and I wonder whether, by using art as a tool to engage these discussions, it democratizes access to what can be quite alienating philosophical territory. But if the discussion of 'life' and 'death' moves to a wider scale, do we truly get something substantial? Curator: An interesting tension to ponder, I would agree! Overall, what is certain, it’s that Owen Gent has produced something compelling which draws on enduring imagery while remaining relevant to our current cultural anxieties. Editor: Indeed. It's a work that invites us to reflect on the mysteries that lie beyond our everyday perception.