Bone 2000

Curator: This compelling self-portrait, created in 2000 by Bo Bartlett, is entitled "Bone." The artist depicts himself carrying a large, curved bone fragment. What's your initial reaction to this work? Editor: My first impression is one of stark, almost melancholic simplicity. The vast expanse of sky and sea contrasts with the figure's focused expression, lending a sense of isolation, or perhaps burden. There's an interesting dichotomy between the intimacy of the self-portrait and the almost mythic scale of the scene. Curator: Absolutely. It’s rendered in oil, echoing classical techniques yet presented with a distinctly modern sensibility. Bartlett positions himself on what seems to be a rocky promontory, overlooking the ocean. What draws me in is this confluence of the personal and the universal; the artwork invites consideration of human existence within larger environmental narratives. Editor: And the bone itself – it immediately calls to mind themes of mortality and resilience. Given the socio-political landscape of 2000, with increasing anxieties about environmental degradation, I wonder if this could be a commentary on humanity's relationship with the natural world, perhaps bearing the weight of environmental destruction. Is the artist suggesting that we are now burdened by the consequences of our actions, reflected in the imposing bone he carries? Curator: That's a resonant interpretation. And perhaps Bartlett uses the conventions of Romanticism, of this solitary figure set against nature to question contemporary myths around individualism and even progress. In showing his physical effort in bearing the bone, maybe the portrait invites a reflection on the responsibility, on human effort in a late-modernist or post-modernist world? Editor: Precisely. Furthermore, the stark realism of his face challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths. There's no romantic idealization here; his gaze feels direct and unwavering. This feels relevant to broader discussions about how portraiture functions in contemporary art. The very deliberate realism adds weight to any potential allegorical or metaphorical reading. Curator: The figure truly stands out because it goes beyond mere physical likeness, evolving into a study of how we exist within and impact our environments. "Bone," becomes then, not just a self-portrait, but a portrait of our times. Editor: Ultimately, it’s this capacity to exist in dialogue between personal introspection and larger environmental questions, making "Bone" so compelling.