The King, Lovers and Cooks 2020

Curator: Here we have William Balthazar Rose’s “The King, Lovers and Cooks,” an oil and acrylic painting from 2020. My first impression is one of muted theatricality. Editor: Muted indeed. The pigment seems heavily applied, almost troweled on in places, suggesting a really physical process. How does the artist use oil and acrylic paint here in tandem? Does that mix of media serve the dreamlike, surrealist qualities? Curator: Well, the imagery is striking. The horse-headed figure playing the guitar, the swan, the king's crown hovering... it’s reminiscent of alchemical illustrations, with layers of symbolic meaning waiting to be unpacked. The horse, for instance, appears frequently in mythology as a symbol of virility, strength, and also guidance. What do you make of his performance, front and center like that? Editor: I see it more as the product of intense labor. The paint is thick and luscious and even gloppy in some parts, with the colours vibrating off each other. Look at the red of the horse’s costume sleeve contrasting with the muted green. Rose isn't afraid to make things textured, palpable. Are these pigments all naturally derived, or is there something artificial at work here? Curator: That's interesting because the colors give the piece an antiquated feel, almost like an illustration from a fairytale, wouldn't you agree? Note that the swan, often a symbol of grace and purity, has connections to mythology in tales of transformation, too. It adds to this sensation of hidden symbolism within. Editor: The artist really works with your sensitivity towards texture, especially with the way he depicts fabrics. Think of that bluish sheet. This choice highlights a key point; his work sits within and departs from certain surrealist or fantasy art approaches in the 21st century, grappling directly with our relationship to manufactured elements versus the "natural". Curator: True. Seeing how these cultural symbols, processed through a modern sensibility, take on new meanings makes me curious what other interpretations lie within the painting. Editor: Indeed, while I appreciate decoding the symbols, it's the artwork's materiality, and the act of painting itself, that speak volumes. Thanks for revealing new perspectives here today.