Pod závojen noci/Under the Veil of Night 1987

Editor: Here we have Hana Čapová's "Under the Veil of Night," a print from 1987 using the etching technique. It strikes me as quite unsettling – this mesh of realism and bizarre, almost nightmarish, figuration. What do you see in this piece, in terms of how it evokes this particular mood? Curator: Oh, it whispers to me of half-forgotten dreams and anxieties. See how Čapová uses that intense line work? It's like cobwebs, clinging to our subconscious. The veiled woman feels trapped, observed perhaps. I imagine her caught between societal expectations – that net – and her own inner desires, represented by the surreal, almost grotesque, figures surrounding her. Do you get that sense of unease from the distorted proportions? Editor: I do now! The long nose, the dark hand...it’s all a bit off-kilter. Is it me, or are those scissors threatening? Curator: I'd say it is deliberate, to signal at the tensions lurking just beneath the surface. Those shears poised to snip… could represent cutting ties, liberation, or even castration anxiety. But there's a tender beauty here, too. Look at the intricacy of the veil, the delicate lines of the woman’s profile. It's like she's both vulnerable and fiercely resilient. It almost feels like something Louise Bourgeois could've dreamed up, but distinctly Čapová's voice. It's amazing how this style walks that fine line. Editor: So, the unsettling nature really speaks to a deeper tension between internal feelings and external expectations… Curator: Precisely! I find myself returning to the woman's expression – she almost invites us into that complex internal world of hers, even knowing the discomfort that may arise. The artwork demands bravery, for the artist, and the viewer, and I love that! Editor: I see what you mean. Thanks. Now it seems more poignant.