The Heavenly Hibiscus 2009

Curator: Well, here we are in front of Bernadette Resha’s "The Heavenly Hibiscus," painted in 2009 using oil and ink on canvas. What's grabbing your attention? Editor: The immediate impression is this explosive vibrancy! The intense red and pink of the flower really pops against the dark background. It's almost confrontational in its boldness, isn't it? Curator: I agree; it's a visual punch. Hibiscuses often symbolize delicate beauty, but Resha amplifies that, evoking passion. Throughout different eras, hibiscus has carried potent symbolic weight - from signifying ephemeral beauty in Victorian flower language to a goddess, identity, and Hawaiian state symbol that demands visibility, and challenges colonialism. Editor: Interesting. It also challenges conventions. From an art historical angle, I am used to more refined techniques when I look at floral works from that time period. So I appreciate the sort of raw handling of the paint in Resha's composition and it definitely carries some implications. It speaks to the democratized distribution and the deconstruction of traditional expectations around art. It becomes a social equalizer. Curator: Precisely, it defies expectation while staying recognizable. It invites deeper inspection. Do the subtle details in the heart of the bloom or in the brushstrokes across the petals, spark any additional interpretation? Editor: The textures and colors are compelling; almost tactile! It pulls the viewer closer. There is something unsettlingly seductive in its bigness as if mirroring something in us back into ourselves. It also speaks of an interest to redefine how women negotiate their roles within a society, it reclaims ownership. Curator: I see what you mean. It becomes less about idealized beauty and more about a kind of unapologetic self-assertion. Even in its seeming simplicity, there is complex and important layers. Editor: Definitely! It shows how artists take and make these symbols. I think we can both appreciate its multiple layers from our perspectives.