Spherical portrait - Hindu woman 1943

Curator: What strikes you first about this peculiar portrait? Editor: Definitely those knowing eyes. They peer out from behind a kaleidoscope, almost like a secret's about to be shared. It's called "Spherical portrait - Hindu woman" by Boleslas Biegas, from 1943, made with oil paint. Curator: Biegas was a Polish artist, sculptor, and writer who gravitated towards Symbolism and, interestingly, spiritualism. Notice how the face is fragmented, almost Cubist. Editor: I love how those jewel-toned fragments swirl around her face. It makes you think she's dissolving into the very cosmos. Is it an embrace, or a disappearing act? It feels almost religious, and the geometric pattern definitely recalls a mandala. Curator: Exactly. Biegas' work often blended spiritual and political commentary, often critiquing nationalism and exploring themes of universal harmony through the lens of Symbolism and the burgeoning influence of geometric abstraction that preceded the devastation of WW2, so it might represent something else, also. Editor: The coloring is captivating. How he pulls your eye to the centre, just as much with colors than form. This vibrant web against that deep-toned background... a clever juxtaposition of the traditional portrait and some forward thinking modernity. Curator: These colours certainly feel spiritually resonant; think of the clothing choices across Southeast Asia, from temple colours to simple robes, it can reflect so much about you to others and to yourself. Editor: Absolutely. I guess this is why Biegas calls this is a 'Spherical Portrait'. This face – no, this feeling, this presence – encapsulated by infinite angles and colors, and all within a single oil painting! Thank you, Biegas! Curator: Indeed. It is a curious melding of identity and geometry, isn't it? Something for the eyes to adjust to as much as the mind, still managing to feel timeless. Editor: It truly feels like it could have been created yesterday or a century ago. Now, let's see what other enigmas await.