Shells 

Editor: So this oil painting is called "Shells" by Dimitris Mytaras, and, wow, there's a lot going on. It's a bit abstract, but I can make out seashells, coral maybe? It feels…dreamlike, like a memory of the ocean. What do you see in this piece, from a symbolic perspective? Curator: The symbols! Mytaras gives us an underwater world filtered through memory and emotion. The shells themselves – think of them as primal containers of life, secrets held within, echoed throughout art history. What feelings do the colours evoke in you? Editor: Definitely calmness from the blues, but that bright red is pretty intense, like energy bursting out. Is that on purpose, do you think? Curator: Precisely! That jolt of red amongst the blues and yellows of safety shakes us from complacency. Think about the red coral— it symbolizes life force, vitality. Consider the stylized waves. Are they calming, or are they perhaps constricting, imposing some tension? Editor: Hmm, I guess there's both. They feel a little claustrophobic maybe, like something's pressing down. So, he's kind of playing with our feelings using these simple objects? Curator: Exactly. It’s that layering of meaning – the interplay between colour, form, and the cultural memory attached to these marine objects – that gives the painting its power. It's more than just shells, it's the emotional resonance. Editor: I see, so it's not just about looking at a pretty picture, it's about unpacking what these symbols mean to us on a deeper level. Curator: Precisely. That's where the richness lies: what has this made you learn and discover in terms of what your mind keeps for the collective understanding and subconscious of humanity, as you respond and react. Editor: Wow, that makes me appreciate the piece a lot more! I learned that the way color influences us is very important to interpreting art.