Fortune Teller 1996

Curator: “Fortune Teller,” an oil painting by Nelson Shanks from 1996, presents a somewhat unsettling arrangement. I find the juxtaposition of figures, a seated woman, a mannequin, and reflections, all rendered with meticulous detail, quite striking. How does this strike you? Editor: It’s a bit disorienting! The reflections, the odd objects strewn on the floor… it makes me wonder what's supposed to be the main subject here? Is there any kind of internal structure, anything holding all these things together visually? Curator: Let's consider the arrangement of forms. Notice how Shanks uses the verticality of the mirror and screen to frame the central nude figure, and how that relates to the horizontality of the seated woman and the reclining doll. What’s drawn across? And is that to suggest closure of view? Editor: I do see how the repeated vertical lines lead the eye upwards, even though the nude is looking at herself. It does contain movement to guide how we look. Curator: Indeed. The mirror acts as both a compositional device and, dare I say, a semiotic gesture toward self-reflection. Look also at how Shanks manipulates the paint itself. Thick impasto in the foreground objects, contrasting with smoother surfaces in the background figures. What might be the effect? Editor: It almost creates a flattening effect, bringing everything into the same plane of existence… so the unreal feels more tangible than the real. Curator: Precisely. These formal choices—composition, brushwork, surface quality—work to disrupt any straightforward narrative. In your eyes what happens with space? Is that broken in anyway? Editor: By placing these figures within a seemingly intimate space and using very soft coloring, perhaps Shanks hoped to reflect his modernist take on painting nudes. That intimacy of space really enhances the subjects of the paintings too. Curator: A keen observation. The piece encourages one to engage with its intrinsic artistic elements and question any assumed narrative or conventional symbolism. Editor: I’m glad I asked – I find the visual and structural relationships much more clear, now. I thought it was a chaotic display, but there is quite a method to the arrangement!