Giddy Green 2018

Curator: Monica Ikegwu painted this captivating portrait, titled "Giddy Green," in 2018. She primarily works in oil paint to depict figuration. What are your initial impressions? Editor: The green absolutely pops! It gives this portrait such a specific mood. Almost acidic, yet the figure himself appears so cool and collected. What an interesting dynamic. Curator: I find myself immediately drawn to the surface of the bomber jacket. The texture appears so meticulously rendered with the quilted stitching. Consider the work and time required to build up such details with layers of oil paint. And look at the interplay between the sheen of the jacket's material set against the solid background. The materiality conveys so much about contemporary fashion and its cycles of production. Editor: The bandana stands out as a significant cultural symbol. It's more than just an accessory; it suggests affiliations, identities, and historical undercurrents tied to youth culture. In the young man's gentle placement of his hand, and in the gaze—direct yet thoughtful—a contemporary, challenging self-portrait seems to appear. Curator: Definitely. By using oil paint, Ikegwu is connecting to a Western art historical tradition. It's interesting that she frames a young, contemporary man in a classical style. Editor: Yes, she plays with the contrast between the traditional approach and the symbols of modern identity and perhaps questions the codes we have learned. It elevates the individual. Curator: It makes you wonder about the labour involved in creating something both personal and of the moment in the traditional medium. Editor: It’s this convergence that elevates the simple portrait into something with much to reveal and discuss. The painting provides an insight into the nature of identity, symbols, and traditions. Curator: Absolutely, a dialogue of history, labour and identity emerges that goes beyond the image's surface appeal. Editor: Yes, exactly, there's so much implied just beneath the surface.