Legacy 2017

Here, we have Mary Jane Ansell’s painting titled *Legacy*. Ansell, born in Scotland in 1972, creates evocative portraits, often focusing on female subjects. Ansell’s portraits typically present women in elaborate, somewhat theatrical settings. Notice the younger woman, in what appears to be a costume. Her features are soft, seemingly vulnerable, next to the other woman in modern garb. The contrast in attire underscores a dialogue about generational identity and the performance of femininity. The mask in the younger woman's hands could be symbolic of the roles women play and the legacy they inherit. What is so moving about this painting is the negotiation between past and present, tradition and modernity, which opens up questions about how women navigate their identities across time. It gives us a moment to consider both the burdens and the beauty of the legacies we carry.