The Swan 2020

Curator: "The Swan," a watercolor by Nick Alm from 2020, greets us with a quiet sort of mystery. Editor: It feels almost… spectral. The figure emerging from the water, draped in white, against that monumental rock face. It’s as if she’s both there and not there. Melancholy, yet strangely powerful. Curator: Alm's work often deals with figuration and this piece is a striking example. You have this contemporary take on classical nude themes played out within what some might consider a surrealist or even fantasy landscape. What draws my attention is the sheer lack of contextual clues. Editor: Exactly. It could be a myth unfolding, or a dream. The loose, flowing robe contrasts so strikingly with the rigid, almost geological presence of that cliff behind her. And her pose, with arms outstretched…is it welcoming, or a plea? Curator: Perhaps it is both. I'm interested in the role of watercolors here. The wash-like texture amplifies the sense of ethereality and perhaps contributes to its dreamy quality. How does a painting like this find its audience today? I am thinking about museums, galleries, digital platforms... What space is afforded to artworks such as "The Swan?" Editor: That's a tough question. While large institutions certainly influence the trajectory of artists such as Alm, these same artists cultivate such strong online followings that in a sense the artwork attains popularity, attains value through non-institutional means. Curator: Very true. In many ways, viewers come to these works without needing someone like myself to mediate the encounter. I find the idea of reclaiming agency by re-contextualizing "The Swan," reclaiming those spaces, really fascinating, in a cultural landscape where anyone can play the part of critic or creator. Editor: I find it really beautiful and eerie. It's a work that invites endless reflection, a sort of visual poem hanging there, waiting to be deciphered.