Kid #1 2012

Curator: Standing before us is Carmen Delaco's "Kid #1," painted in 2012 using oil with an impasto technique. It's a contemporary portrait that really catches the eye. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of subdued tension. The color palette feels muted, almost as if the portrait is emerging from a fog or a distant memory. There's an intense gaze that draws you in. Curator: It’s a strikingly direct gaze, isn't it? What do you make of that bold horizontal line cutting across the canvas? It seems to disrupt the sense of conventional portraiture. Editor: Absolutely. That line destabilizes our viewing experience. It could be read as a demarcation, perhaps symbolizing social or psychological barriers this young person might be facing. What societal expectations, real or perceived, is the child confronting? Curator: Or perhaps it's Delaco playing with the boundaries of representation. I feel the impasto technique contributes to this, too—the layers of thick paint almost become a mask, obscuring and revealing at once. Like a hidden depth. What stories does the portrait tell to you? Editor: The use of impasto here feels almost like a scarification. Impasto embodies depth, history, pain, catharsis, memory… The painting embodies the raw emotion associated with self-discovery. It begs the question of vulnerability and resistance. What do they say when no one listens, see when no one notices, and become when no one cares? Curator: That's beautifully put! It definitely evokes something raw and vulnerable. I'm captivated by how the artist captured a complex internal world within this seemingly simple portrait. And at the same time… Editor: …it serves as a powerful commentary on identity, adolescence, and the struggle to define oneself in a world filled with pre-conceived notions and often rigid constraints. It encourages me to challenge norms and seek to comprehend the struggles of being human. Curator: I like that: a dialogue with the painting. It really sparks the imagination! Thanks. Editor: My pleasure. This portrait certainly invites a lot of empathy and hopefully, some positive social change.