portrait of Paige 2016

Editor: This is "Portrait of Paige" by Aaron Nagel, painted in 2016 with oil paint. The neutral colors create this incredibly calm, almost serene feeling. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Beyond the immediate impression of serenity, I see a deliberate commentary on the objectification of the female gaze in portraiture. Nagel subverts this by stripping away typical signifiers of identity—ornamentation, elaborate clothing, context. What we're left with is a raw, almost clinical presentation of the subject. How do you feel that contributes to the dialogue about female representation? Editor: It’s interesting, I didn’t consider that. The bare shoulders and the simple hairstyle made me think of classical portraits, like a modern-day Venus. Does that tie into the discussion of objectification at all? Curator: Precisely. By referencing classical ideals of beauty, Nagel implicates the viewer in perpetuating these historically-constructed standards. The contemporary piercing, however, complicates this, adding a layer of modern individuality. What does that small, deliberate detail tell us about the agency of the subject within this artistic framework? Editor: I guess it’s like a subtle act of resistance. Like Paige is asserting her own identity within this idealized representation. Curator: Yes. And consider the role of the artist, typically male, in shaping these portrayals. Nagel, by inviting this dialogue, is actively critiquing the power dynamics inherent in the artistic process itself. What can contemporary art do to resist this objectification? Editor: It's eye-opening to consider how this seemingly simple portrait engages with such complex issues of representation and power. I'll definitely look at portraits differently now! Curator: Absolutely, seeing art as a dialogue, not a monologue, enriches our understanding and challenges the status quo. Art is more than what is shown, it is also about what is not directly seen or felt.