Hear No Evil… 

Editor: Here we have "Hear No Evil…" by Scott Gustafson, an oil painting featuring three monkeys. They're posed like the classic "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" maxim, but with these ornate costumes, the effect is rather… unsettling, almost theatrical. What symbolic weight do you think Gustafson is playing with here? Curator: The monkeys immediately bring to mind the well-worn proverb, a visual shorthand for willful ignorance. But you're right, there's a tension created by their luxurious, almost Ottoman-esque garb. It elevates the image beyond a simple morality tale. These aren't just any monkeys; they're costumed players in a human drama. What aspects strike you as "unsettling"? Editor: I think it's their eyes. They're so expressive, even mournful. It suggests they're not choosing ignorance out of malice, but perhaps out of fear or sadness. Is there something deeper about the "three wise monkeys" I am missing? Curator: The "Three Wise Monkeys" are rooted in Japanese iconography. The original message wasn't necessarily about ignoring evil, but about protecting oneself from it. Think of it as a form of self-preservation, a strategy for navigating a world filled with unpleasantness. By transforming the monkeys with these robes, is Gustafson suggesting that even privileged people resort to similar acts of denial? Editor: That makes a lot of sense! Maybe it's about the complicity of the elite, hiding from realities that might disrupt their comfort. Curator: Precisely. And consider the material weight of oil paint itself. It lends a certain seriousness, a permanence to the scene, highlighting the enduring human impulse to shut out the world. What do you make of that? Editor: Wow, I didn't consider the medium itself contributing to the symbolism! It's definitely given me a richer appreciation of the painting, from being just a cute or unsettling painting of monkeys to something much more complex. Curator: Exactly. These iconic images can become like cultural hieroglyphs if you give them a moment of attention.