Portrait d’un Enfant Malentendu 2018

Editor: This is "Portrait d’un Enfant Malentendu," or "Portrait of a Misunderstood Child," by Aboudia, created in 2018, using mixed media. It strikes me as quite raw and intense, like a child's nightmare drawn on paper. What do you see in this piece? Art Historian: Ah, yes, Aboudia. A potent messenger! This work throws us headfirst into the vibrant chaos of childhood. I see the layered lines, like scars and echoes of countless stories untold. It's a chorus of anxieties, perhaps societal pressures reflected in the child’s wild eyes. Don’t you think the rawness is quite intentional, a challenge to the traditional portraiture, the artist suggesting the innocence might be a convenient myth? Editor: I never considered that before. I just saw the sort of wild energy in the color palette. It’s really immediate in that sense, but layered too as you pointed out. Art Historian: Yes, look closely! Are those colours simply arbitrary, or might they be laden with deeper significance? Blue for sorrow? Red for a simmering rage? Perhaps this is not just the child misunderstood, but our own projection of expectations that imprison. What does the word "misunderstood" spark in your own memories? Editor: I suppose it is not straightforward and reminds me of how complex the inner worlds of children can be. Their feelings are huge! But this feels as if that intensity hasn’t been heard or seen. Art Historian: Precisely! So, we see not just a portrait, but an accusation. And how fascinating it is, that this child drawn so wildly becomes almost a mirror for our adult failings, hmm? An unsettling glimpse. Editor: That's given me so much to think about regarding the role of portraiture and the voice Aboudia is channeling. Thanks so much. Art Historian: The pleasure was all mine. Never forget art is less about seeing, more about feeling, a chance for the heart to play. Keep looking!