Lisi 1976

Curator: Markus Raetz, the Swiss artist, sketched this graceful figure, simply titled "Lisi," on paper. There isn’t a date associated with it. What do you see? Editor: I’m struck by its vulnerability. The charcoal against the gray paper creates this soft, almost dreamlike quality, but I feel a slight discomfort knowing the historic objectification of the female form. Curator: Perhaps the pose is one of reaching, not of display. The raised arm, the tilted head, suggest a seeking. Editor: I appreciate that interpretation. I think it challenges the patriarchal gaze that often dictates how we view such images. Curator: For me, it evokes longing. What is out of reach? Editor: Right, and who gets to decide what's within reach for whom? Curator: Food for thought. It seems we’ve only scratched the surface. Editor: Absolutely. More layers to peel back, for sure.