Cannibal Harem of Charlie Savage 1958

Editor: Mort Künstler's "Cannibal Harem of Charlie Savage," painted in 1958 using oil, really throws me. It’s so… strange! A group of apparently captive white men escorted by tribal members, overlooked by women in what looks like a staged, unsettling scene. What's your take on what's happening here? Curator: "Unsettling" is spot on! It whispers of a kind of reversed colonialism, doesn't it? Or maybe it's a satirical twist on those old "exotic" travel narratives. The figures feel stiff, like actors on a stage, trapped in a tableau that’s trying very hard to shock. It almost reminds me of an old pulp magazine cover, all bold colors and exaggerated drama designed to sell a story that may or may not exist beyond the sensational image. Do you think Künstler is celebrating or critiquing these power dynamics? Editor: That’s a great point – it's difficult to know whether Künstler intended it as a critical piece. Maybe it reflects a bit of both, a fascination with and a discomfort with this 'exotic' scene? Curator: Exactly! The art, with its bright colours and sharp contrasts, almost obscures what the point of the artwork could have been. The painting certainly has elements from various periods. The "noble savage" imagery filtered through the lens of 1950s anxieties is also there to read, in between the brushstrokes! Editor: That makes it much clearer. I think seeing it as a mix of fascination and anxiety helps me understand it better. It is less clear if Künstler is poking fun or reflecting society's perspective back at the viewer. Thanks! Curator: Absolutely! It’s like the painting holds a mirror up to our own projections and expectations about other cultures, while playfully pushing those stereotypes to their most ridiculous conclusions. Therein lies the magic.