Throughout the Neighbourhood 

Curator: Let's discuss "Throughout the Neighbourhood" by Tia Peltz, a piece that, though undated, offers a potent look at form and identity. Editor: Wow, it’s striking! The immediacy of it really hits you, doesn't it? Almost feels like a charcoal sketch blown up and splashed with hot sauce. I love the confident messiness. Curator: I agree. The Neo-Expressionist influence is undeniable. We see it in the raw application of acrylic paint, the distortion of the figure, and how line and form meet abstraction. Consider how those bold, black strokes define the silhouette against that intensely red background. Editor: That red… it’s so unapologetic, isn’t it? It amplifies the rawness, makes you feel like you’ve stumbled into some late-night jam session where inhibitions are checked at the door. What is it about, do you think? Curator: The figure is presented nude, almost defiantly so. But it’s also clearly a deliberate figuration, which means, rather than focusing on pure eroticism, Peltz uses this form to explore vulnerability and presence, perhaps challenging viewers to confront uncomfortable assumptions about gender, gaze, and power dynamics. Editor: Definitely feels like more than just a nude. It's like she's saying, “Here I am, deal with it.” I keep coming back to the composition, the way she is posing. There’s strength, but also… is it a bit of defiance in there too? Or maybe exhaustion? Curator: Those interpretations resonate. Neo-Expressionism, born from a sense of cultural malaise and a need to reclaim subjectivity, embraced art that was overtly emotional. So Peltz, working within this lineage, could be reflecting a shared societal fatigue or an active resistance. It invites conversation on visibility, particularly for marginalized bodies. Editor: So true. The energy… it doesn't just sit there, does it? It wriggles under your skin. I bet hanging it in a room changes everything. You'd have to pay attention. Curator: Precisely. It doesn't allow for passive consumption. The artwork serves as a reminder of the dialogues we must have. Editor: Absolutely. It leaves you questioning, which is, let’s be honest, what good art is supposed to do. Tia Peltz sparks fire here, that’s for sure.