Kind 2018

Editor: This is Soey Milk’s “Kind,” an oil painting from 2018. The woman's gaze is captivating. I'm drawn in by the mix of realism in her face and the more dreamlike, abstract quality of the background. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I notice the visual language playing with duality. There’s the overt, tender depiction of the young woman, and then there’s the symbolic vocabulary enriching it. Look at the flowers. In art, they've long represented fleeting beauty and mortality. The contrast between the fresh, blooming flowers and the rather somber, almost gothic, backdrop creates a tension. How does this tension affect your understanding of “kindness” as represented in the portrait? Editor: It makes me think kindness isn’t just simple gentleness. The shadowy background hints at challenges or sadness. The kindness the subject exudes feels stronger, like it exists despite hardship. Curator: Precisely. The presence of what appears to be a bird, tucked away in the shadows near her shoulder, also speaks volumes. Birds, across many cultures, symbolize freedom, but also vulnerability. The figure seems to offer protection, subtly linking kindness to empathy and protection. It suggests a quiet strength in the face of potential fragility, both internal and external. Editor: That's interesting, I didn't notice the bird at first glance. It is like she’s shielding it. The blend of these gentle and darker elements creates a much richer narrative than a straightforward portrait. Curator: Indeed. The artist utilizes symbolic weight to elevate the visual narrative, encouraging viewers to contemplate the depths and complexities inherent within a single, seemingly simple virtue. It leaves us considering how images can speak volumes without uttering a single word. Editor: I appreciate learning about the flower and bird imagery. I see the painting in a completely different way now.