Time Machine 4 2021

Editor: So, here we have Joshua Flint's "Time Machine 4," an oil painting from 2021. It has this really intriguing, dreamlike quality with these figures kind of melting into the space around them. It's a bit unsettling, actually. What do you see in this piece, looking at it from a critical perspective? Curator: What strikes me is how Flint uses figuration within a broader discourse of displacement and memory. The faceless figures, the dissolving forms – they evoke a sense of rootlessness, perhaps commenting on the fluidity of identity in our contemporary moment. How does the domestic space interact with that reading, do you think? Editor: I hadn’t thought about displacement, but that makes sense! The interior almost feels like a stage set, not quite real, which reinforces that feeling of being unmoored. The surreal color palette and the ambiguous textures also create this sense of unease. Do you think the title, "Time Machine," plays into that? Curator: Absolutely. "Time Machine" points toward the intersectional theme of subjective experience, how we carry personal histories and project them onto the present. In what ways does Flint engage with expressionistic techniques, such as his brushstrokes and color saturation? Does that amplify your sense of instability? Editor: Yes, definitely. The brushwork is so loose, almost chaotic, especially around the figures. And those muted, almost clashing colors – the teal, the pink, the bursts of yellow – they create a visual tension. It is difficult to rest your eyes anywhere. It makes you wonder about the dynamics between these figures, or even within themselves. Curator: Exactly. Perhaps Flint invites us to consider the multifaceted nature of interiority and its connections to our societal landscape, even questioning the myth of a fixed self. Art offers not answers, but opportunities to explore the questions we face. What could a viewer take away to navigate these concerns after viewing "Time Machine 4?" Editor: I guess it encourages us to embrace ambiguity and to be more aware of how our perceptions are shaped by personal experiences and collective histories. It shows that identities are complicated and not always easily defined. It makes you pause and wonder. Curator: I agree. The value lies not in definitive answers, but in engaging with its complexities, its inherent openness, which facilitates conversations that help us become aware and resilient in these rapidly changing times.