Garden Within 2021

Editor: Here we have Michael Cheval's 2021 oil painting, "Garden Within". I'm immediately struck by the sheer density of symbols and the way it seems to play with art historical references, maybe even hinting at the Garden of Eden. What do you see in the construction of this canvas? Curator: The layers are really what interest me. The dripping effect, the layering of figures both central and in the background—it speaks to a deconstruction of traditional portraiture, a peeling away to expose the raw materials of image-making. The canvas becomes a site of production, where labor is visible. Do you see any connections with mass production? Editor: That's a new idea for me. Is that something that you read from the details, like the goggle-wearing figure with the strange, eye-covered hat or maybe from the repetitive shapes and figures? Curator: Precisely! Look closely at how the hat appears to be fabricated from gears and then how that contrasts with the so-called 'natural' elements in the image, such as the apple. Where does craft end and art begin when it comes to cultural representation? Editor: I see what you mean now. The background figures, seemingly rendered with quick brushstrokes and earthy tones, feel almost like raw materials, waiting to be refined like on an assembly line or created for commercial usage. Curator: Exactly! Now consider the consumption of these materials, what are the themes presented? This piece subtly critiques the consumerist tendencies and production practices inherent in modern image-making. Are we devouring what should be preserved, so to speak? Editor: The figures seem stuck in a sort of production loop, never consuming or benefiting from their labor, constantly producing cultural items in our current mass-culture economy. Curator: I’m glad you noted that. The painting doesn't offer any sort of narrative, so what are the implications? Perhaps that we are living without a final conclusion or result. Editor: That is bleak but also makes me think differently about art and modern times! Thank you. Curator: Thank you. Reflecting on art and consumerism is always vital for understanding labor within the social machine.