Grizzly Attack 1970

Editor: Here we have Mort Künstler's 1970 oil painting, "Grizzly Attack". The scene is incredibly dramatic, almost theatrical, with the bear looming so large. What visual narratives are at play for you in this scene? Curator: The immediate read, for me, lands in our culture's anxiety about the wild. Think of the romanticism, even fear, attached to bears throughout history. The bear, here, represents untamed nature, an imposing force against human control. Notice the light – or lack thereof – in contrast to what could be hope embodied by the human at the right. What emotions arise as you look at this opposition? Editor: It is definitely jarring, but the shooter seems really small in contrast to the bear; are we meant to read a chance of survival here? Curator: It could go either way, depending on the symbolic understanding we bring. Remember, historically, the bear can also symbolize courage and strength. It appears on national flags and coats of arms. The "attack," then, shifts from mere physical threat to a contest of wills, perhaps between "man" and "beast," but perhaps also between fear and resilience. This narrative of survival is really emphasized through Künstler's use of impasto for the bear's fur: it gives the impression of raw energy, as a challenge and opportunity. How do you interpret that now? Editor: Wow, it really opens the image up to considering how we interpret power and the tension between wilderness and humanity, instead of just reading it as an action scene. Curator: Exactly. The layering of symbolism encourages us to ask how these historical understandings continue to shape our contemporary attitudes about nature and our place within it. Editor: This definitely makes me look at the painting and other paintings about wildlife in a new way! Thanks!