Tattoo Series -‘ Standing with Teraoka’ 2016

Curator: This is Aaron Nagel’s 2016 oil painting, "Tattoo Series – Standing with Teraoka." Editor: It’s captivating. There’s a stillness to the woman’s face, almost a classical portrait, disrupted by…is that light emanating from her phone? And these fantastic, translucent tattoos! Curator: Nagel plays with several layers of imagery here. He uses traditional oil painting techniques for the figure, grounding it in a history of portraiture. Yet he overlays this with symbols of contemporary culture, specifically digital media and tattoo art. Editor: It is curious how these 'tattoos,' based on the style of Teraoka, exist almost like a ghostly impression—are they truly there or just projected upon her? The rendering of skin versus tattoo also implies some differences of materiality in their making. Also, look at the tattoos in relation to the Western expectations of the nude within painting! Curator: Exactly. Tattooing itself is a fascinating process, marking the body as a site of personal expression and rebellion, though also becoming highly commodified through its industries. How are those aspects intersecting with the Western nude as subject? Editor: You bring up a valid question! Nagel subtly positions her in dialogue with broader narratives about gender, technology, and representation within art history and media today. The erotic art component creates a charged gaze for contemporary reception. It speaks to debates surrounding censorship and exploitation of imagery. Curator: Considering how we constantly document ourselves—and others—through images shared publicly via social media, the figure may imply this perpetual performance as a signifier of identity and what is worthy of broadcasting, even our own skin. Editor: Interesting point. Seeing the labor and layering of material decisions makes one consider these implications. How the digital shapes our perception, identity... our bodies. Curator: The title acknowledging Teraoka feels important, then, given his influence merging Western and Japanese iconography, particularly through the lens of sexuality and contemporary consumerism. Editor: Ultimately, Nagel's blending creates this compelling tension. His portrait is caught in the flux of tradition, technological invasion, personal symbolisms. Curator: Precisely. He compels the audience to grapple with these changing, often contradictory, dialogues happening all at once.