House II 

Editor: This is Erik Thor Sandberg’s painting, "House II," rendered with acrylic paint, I believe. The entire piece feels unsettling, like a dollhouse filled with surreal and disturbing scenes. It’s the figures – they’re doing such odd, vaguely violent things! What’s your interpretation of this work? Curator: This house… it's less a physical structure and more a manifestation of the human psyche, isn't it? See how the figures, trapped within these bounded planes, echo recurring anxieties and desires? Consider the figures in latex and erotic poses… don’t they hearken back to darker, more primal mythologies regarding the shadow self and power dynamics? Editor: Yes, I definitely see that now! Like fragments of disturbing stories all happening in one space. Curator: Precisely! It begs the question: What societal anxieties or power structures is Sandberg referencing, using the symbols of eroticism and the home? Is this ‘home’ a place of refuge or a theatre of primal urges? Editor: I hadn't thought about societal critiques… I was just focusing on the…strangeness! Curator: But even "strangeness" is a cultural construct. These seemingly bizarre actions touch upon deeply embedded fears and desires within the human collective – the loss of control, the performative aspects of sexuality, the decay of domestic harmony. What "memories" are surfaced for you? Editor: I think it really challenges the traditional idea of 'home' as a safe and nurturing space. It also reflects that 'normal' family roles and interpersonal dynamics are never simple or clean cut. It’s a lot to think about! Curator: Indeed. It is by acknowledging such complexity and the cultural symbols at play that Sandberg offers us a disturbing, yet potentially illuminating vision.