Conan with a Stone Axe 1991

Editor: So here we have "Conan with a Stone Axe," an oil painting by Ken Kelly, from 1991. The whole scene has a darkly romantic sort of feel to it. What stands out to me is the almost theatrical way Conan is posed, but in contrast with the really menacing undertones lurking in the background... what do you make of it all? Curator: Ah, Ken Kelly, master of the heroic, the erotic, and the monstrous, all rolled into one glorious canvas! It’s as if Frank Frazetta had a baby with a heavy metal album cover. Notice how Conan’s body is practically bursting off the canvas? It's like Kelly is daring you to underestimate raw power. Editor: Right! It's…intense. Curator: It is. And what's fascinating is how Kelly layers the setting: gnarled trees like grasping claws, and impish figures peeking through, which serve as a subtle reminder of the perils surrounding Conan, all set within an erotic frame that would even tempt saints! It’s a delicious contrast, isn’t it? Reminds me a bit of when I was a teenager sneaking glances at forbidden book covers in the back of comic book shops! What I always come back to is, "who is Conan without all of this lurking underneath?" Editor: I see your point. The lurking dread heightens Conan's strength. And I didn’t even notice all those lurking figures the first time around. Thanks for pointing that out. It really shifts the piece. Curator: Exactly! The longer you gaze into the art, the art starts to gaze back. Don't let it change you! Now, what will you tell the world next? Editor: It's tempting to start lifting weights.