Say Hi to Poppy 2018

Editor: Here we have Daria Theodora’s watercolor painting, “Say Hi to Poppy,” created in 2018. It’s dreamy and strange, like a half-remembered fairy tale. What do you see in this piece, beyond the surface? Curator: It’s interesting you call it a fairy tale. I see it as a potent intersection of nature, femininity, and the surreal. Consider the poppies, traditionally symbols of sleep, death, and remembrance, almost consuming the figure. Do you think that evokes any particular narrative about the female form and its association with nature? Editor: Maybe the way women are often perceived as being 'closer' to nature, sometimes in ways that limit them? But the painting also feels empowering. Curator: Precisely! The act of embracing the puffin, surrounded by symbols of nature, challenges those restrictive associations. This recalls the work of feminist artists reclaiming the female body from the male gaze. Note how the traditional ‘nature’ symbols intersect with her stylish shoes, perhaps indicating a defiance against such restrictive roles? Editor: I hadn't thought about her boots in that way, but it makes sense now. It disrupts a singular read, adds layers. Curator: Yes, the floating land masses, with their mix of flora and fauna, defy conventional landscapes. How does that unconventional presentation inform the piece’s themes, perhaps speaking to migration or displaced identities? Editor: Maybe the dream-like quality hints at unconscious biases regarding identity and how we interact with nature? Curator: That’s astute. Ultimately, “Say Hi to Poppy” uses whimsical imagery to address profound issues concerning identity, our relationship to nature, and our perceptions of femininity in a very complicated way. Editor: It makes me appreciate how contemporary artists like Daria Theodora engage with feminist discourse in their creative process.