The Continence of Scipio 2012

Curator: This compelling work, titled "The Continence of Scipio," was completed by Alexander Roitburd in 2012. It's primarily executed in oil paint. What’s your initial take? Editor: Well, the first thing that strikes me is the unsettling mood. The figure seems burdened, almost distorted. There’s a vulnerability there, but also something unsettling in the elongated forms. What do you make of the "matter-painting" style here? Curator: Roitburd’s application of paint is critical to understanding the work. The heavy impasto gives the figure a tangible weight, an almost sculptural presence. Look at how the artist uses the material to build form and texture, blurring lines between painting and object-making. It emphasizes the labor involved, reminding us of the artist’s hand in creation. Editor: That's a solid point. The visual language is unusual, however. This protruding nose-like appendage touching the face... and then other trunk-like shapes surrounding the torso. Are we looking at symbols of burden, perhaps? A kind of self-inflicted wound, even? The figure seems constrained by these unnatural, pipe-like growths. Curator: The figure could certainly be a reference to Sicipio from the historic myth. The title directly invites it. Perhaps we are considering the ramifications of choices forced upon us. Roitburd is very engaged in the contemporary portrait and its relationship to the past. Editor: Roitburd uses traditional allegory to invite the contemporary audience in, but subverts this very technique. Note the brown tonality that prevails. Very understated and grim. Are these just elements of the individual’s identity? Or elements acting against it? What’s particularly potent is how the artist marries classical ideals with a brutal contemporary aesthetic. Curator: It highlights how artistic processes themselves, and their evolution over time, shape meaning and our perceptions. How methods and labor form not just the object, but its interpretation. Editor: Yes, precisely! The continuity between the present and past is achieved in this potent and haunting portrayal through a masterful blend of classical and modern symbol manipulation, which underscores the themes. Curator: An apt demonstration that exploring the methods by which artworks come to be only deepens our understanding of art history itself. Editor: Agreed. I can't shake the feeling that those shapes are symbolic of something holding us back from a more peaceful life.