Disneyland 

Editor: This striking acrylic painting is "Disneyland" by Richard Lindner. I'm really drawn to the juxtaposition of hard edges with these almost fleshy forms. What’s your take on this unusual portrait? Curator: This "Disneyland" serves not as a geographical place but a symbol of idealized artifice. Lindner, you see, uses these playful geometries to really emphasize that which is inherently fake. The mechanical backdrop, the almost robotic composure of the woman herself. It’s fascinating when you consider how we’ve culturally adopted Disneyland as this escape. Do you sense that contrast here? Editor: Absolutely. It’s not the joyful, cartoonish image I’d expect. Her expression is almost severe. Curator: Consider the lollipop. Is it innocent candy or a veiled phallic symbol, a corruption of innocence? And look at the parrot down below... Is it a treasured pet, or perhaps a coded message, a kind of witness to the spectacle. Consider these signifiers and where they direct your line of sight and perhaps your judgement. Editor: That’s a fantastic point about the parrot’s ambiguous presence. It seems to undercut the supposedly bright, cheerful subject matter. Curator: Lindner creates this feeling of unease with visual vocabulary derived from his personal iconography as well as contemporary mass culture and the effects of propaganda. And where does he see this propagated… well, in symbols like this one. The idea of the idealized amusement park. The work speaks, even screams to you in symbols! Editor: I see this painting in a completely different light now. It's far more critical than I first perceived, like it holds up a mirror to a society obsessed with manufactured happiness. Curator: Exactly. Art constantly holds up the mirror! I am glad it speaks to you.