Wish You Were Here 

Alex Gross, born in 1968, offers us this contemporary painting where past and present intertwine. A young woman is absorbed by her phone, while a deer, an ancient symbol of innocence and connection to nature, stands beside her. The deer motif, a constant in art from Paleolithic cave paintings to Renaissance allegories, often represents gentleness and purity. But here, its juxtaposition with modern technology creates tension, a kind of melancholic longing. Consider the ginkgo leaves falling around her. In Asian cultures, these represent hope and resilience, a symbolic suggestion for the girl to look up from her device and appreciate life around her. The phrase in the sky "WUWU :) H" (Wish You Were Here), combined with the airplane in the sky suggests longing for connection, or the need to reach out beyond physical space. This work encapsulates our modern dilemma: how do we reconcile our increasingly virtual lives with our innate need for nature and authentic connection?