Without Feather Boa 1965

Editor: Here we have Emma Amos's "Without Feather Boa" from 1965, a graphic art print. It's a striking portrait, and those bold blue sunglasses give it such a cool, detached vibe. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: Oh, darling, "detached" is a brilliant way to put it! The textures, right? It's almost like the figure is emerging from a dream, a memory. The way Amos uses the printmaking technique, it’s not just about replicating an image. For me, it evokes a sense of self-discovery. Notice how the figure fills most of the space but has not too much details? Editor: I see what you mean about the textures giving it that dreamlike quality. What about the sunglasses? They feel so… deliberate. Curator: Exactly! They are, perhaps, hiding, or maybe amplifying. And, that golden backdrop... do you feel its intensity? The backdrop color is an assertion rather than complement, almost as if everything she hides about herself becomes more on display, perhaps inadvertently, from this deliberate and somewhat defiant pose and presentation. Do you read this also as an "unveiling?" Editor: Hmmm, “unveiling”… interesting thought! It’s almost contradictory, but that makes sense, now that you mention the sunglasses and backdrop, together with the lack of details to focus the eyes... Thank you for unveiling that a bit! I’ll keep that perspective in mind as I learn more about the artist’s work. Curator: Anytime, dear! I’m happy I could let a bit of sun shed light on Amos and the work itself for you.