Eve and the Snake 

Editor: We’re looking at Allison Reimold’s oil painting, "Eve and the Snake." I find the color palette really striking – these near-monochrome pinks and reds set against that orange backdrop. It's definitely unnerving. What do you make of the way Reimold has rendered the materials here? Curator: For me, it’s all about how Reimold manipulates the oil paint itself. The slick, almost airbrushed finish she achieves, particularly on the figure’s skin, speaks volumes. It reflects a culture obsessed with flawless surfaces, readily apparent in advertising. Notice the sharp contrast between the smoothness of the skin and the slightly more textured rendering of the poppies. It draws attention to artifice. Editor: Right, and that extends to the snake itself. It almost looks like a bizarre piece of jewelry, a commodity almost. The whole image is incredibly constructed. Curator: Precisely! Consider the labor involved in achieving such a refined surface. Hours of meticulous work are dedicated to creating something that ultimately references artificiality. Furthermore, what does it mean to portray Eve, a traditionally loaded subject, through this hyper-stylized lens? Editor: So, by examining the artist’s process and materials, we can see how the artwork reflects our own consumer culture. Curator: Absolutely. Reimold utilizes the tradition of oil painting, historically associated with wealth and status, to critique those very values. The means of production are central to its meaning. Editor: I hadn’t considered that link between the historical context of oil painting and this very modern portrayal. Curator: Looking at the use of materials forces us to reconsider what we define as beauty and truth, no? Editor: Definitely! It changes how I'll view the material choices of other paintings from now on.