David et Goliath 1964

Curator: Well, isn’t this provocative. Immediately, I'm struck by the sense of violence. Such a raw, exposed vulnerability... quite unnerving, honestly. Editor: Indeed. Today we are observing "David et Goliath," created by Salvador Dalí in 1964. He worked in watercolor, employing washes of pigment on paper. You see how the materiality—the flowing quality of watercolor—lends itself well to this historical narrative and allegorical presentation? Curator: It's the head that gets me. It’s like a blooming, fleshy wound where the face should be, eyes pouring with thick streams of red. It’s unsettling. Is this supposed to be Goliath’s defeat as a symbolic decapitation? It's a visceral representation. Editor: Note the process, how the diluted pigment runs across the paper. This reflects both the violence of the biblical event and Dalí's broader focus. How this piece subverts the traditional hero narrative by representing violence with the free-flowing, almost uncontrollable, quality of watercolour, making it something tangible and impactful. Consider how readily available this medium was at the time, bringing the historical themes into conversation with a mid-20th century context of accessibility of materials. Curator: The small figure off to the right...barely there, just outlined. It contrasts massively with the raw vulnerability and the sheer scale of the, ah, beheaded Goliath figure. The perspective skews the power dynamics, and subverts it, it seems. Editor: Precisely, there is much historical debate on the political commentary interwoven throughout Dalí’s artwork. In the wake of the Second World War, a reading into material choices would offer a viewpoint into an increased interest on accessible mediums. He often pushed the boundaries between conventional forms, and his use of watercolour emphasizes the fragility, ephemeral quality of human triumph...or indeed human failures. Curator: Hmm. Seeing this piece makes me question how we are continually recycling ancient narratives to wrestle with current realities. I think I see a modern anxiety staring back. Editor: Agreed. Considering the material applications within Dalí’s oeuvre opens new questions about its cultural value and endurance through time. I am content with this.