Pisces 

Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn into the drama of it. The rich red drapery, the knowing gaze of the cat… it feels theatrical. Editor: Indeed. What we're observing is Lucia Heffernan's oil painting, "Pisces." It presents a surrealist, anthropomorphic scene featuring a cat draped in red, peering into a crystal ball. Curator: And in the ball are, of course, two fish. What I find compelling is how Heffernan merges the everyday—the domestic cat—with the mystical. What symbols is she weaving here? Editor: Astrologically, Pisces embodies empathy and artistic inclination, often feeling split between fantasy and reality. Notice how Heffernan positions the cat centrally, its stare both direct and knowing. Is this a comment on the perceived wisdom and power we project onto certain symbols? Curator: Absolutely. Cats have long been associated with mystery, intuition, even witchcraft. They represent the unseen, a bridge between worlds. And that red cloth, like the robes of a fortune teller…it heightens the sense of the occult. The colours add intensity to the scene. Editor: The very composition invites that. The curtained backdrop, coupled with the constellation detail painted above, forms a proscenium—highlighting artifice and performance. What's interesting to consider is how historically, astrological symbols have served to oppress or liberate depending on their interpretation and accessibility. Is Heffernan inviting us to reclaim our own narratives, guided by intuition, but always aware of context? Curator: Perhaps. Or, it could be about how we humans often seek answers in symbols, even when those symbols are inherently ambiguous. Think of the Tarot. Think of I Ching. There’s power in what we *choose* to see. In these surrealist pieces, artists play with our deeply ingrained patterns of meaning-making. Editor: It strikes me that Heffernan has situated the art of reading signs, quite literally, at the centre. Who or what controls the narrative, however, remains strategically obscured by the playful, fantastical elements. Are we the observers or the observed, after all? Curator: That's a poignant thought, highlighting the ever-present human desire to both decode and construct our own understanding of destiny, however playfully. Thank you for helping reveal all those complex threads that run throughout this artpiece. Editor: And thank you, for shining light onto these powerful, persistent human rituals of sense-making. The way images accrue meaning over time remains, in my opinion, one of humanity's defining features.