Gardener and The Centre of The Universe 2016

Editor: This is "Gardener and The Centre of The Universe" by Jana Brike, painted in 2016 with acrylics on canvas. It's… intense. The close-up of hands and a blooming flower, maybe a rose, is quite suggestive. What do you see in this piece, beyond the obvious imagery? Curator: Beyond the initial shock, let's consider the symbolism. The rose, traditionally associated with femininity and beauty, here seems to be presented as a point of exploration, almost of violation, don't you think? Notice how the artist contrasts the soft, delicate petals with the bloodied, even slightly clumsy hands. The composition compels us to consider themes around bodily autonomy and vulnerability. How does the title affect your interpretation, “Gardener and The Centre of The Universe”? Editor: I suppose it moves me to think about control versus nurturing. The "gardener" isn't necessarily a gentle hand tending a rose; it feels more forceful. Also, there is almost an unsettling feeling, looking at what could be someone discovering themself in this work. But why call the rose the "centre of the universe"? Curator: Exactly! Is it a claim about female experience being central to all things? Or perhaps it's about individual exploration being a microcosm of the larger world. It pushes us to confront our own discomfort with depictions of the body, particularly the female body, doesn't it? Brike often challenges the conventional male gaze in her erotic artwork, instead centering queer and female pleasure and the anxieties and joys surrounding that exploration. The blood on the fingers, paired with those butterflies and flowers, creates an image that is hard to pull away from, maybe because it questions these established narratives around how people approach themselves, inside and out. Editor: It’s definitely made me reconsider how art can challenge these deeply ingrained assumptions and expectations of not only beauty but also the perspective through which it is often portrayed and regarded. Curator: Precisely! The piece uses the tension between beauty and discomfort to open up a conversation about the politics of the body. Jana Brike pushes the observer to not only admire but question.