Blanket 2021

Curator: This is Monica Ikegwu's piece titled "Blanket," created in 2021. It’s an acrylic painting offering an intimate perspective of its subject. Editor: It's arresting. The palette is so warm, mostly reds and browns, but there’s a melancholy in the subject’s downturned gaze. Curator: Ikegwu's choice to depict this individual in such close proximity invites a unique consideration. Portraits have historically served to immortalize figures of power or status. How does Ikegwu's approach relate to these established notions? Editor: Absolutely. The portrait disrupts that established hierarchy. We're given a glimpse into the sitter’s internal world. Consider, too, the context of "blanket" in the title— it can represent comfort, security, or even confinement. What does it mean to enfold someone in paint? Curator: An interesting question. We can look to the historical representation of African Americans and how it plays into Ikegwu's choices here. Early ethnographic photography and portraiture frequently objectified Black subjects, often stripping them of their individual agency. Editor: I see that echoed in the tension between visibility and vulnerability in this piece. The almost photorealistic rendering contrasts with the flat, patterned background, drawing our focus intensely onto the subject’s face. But their downcast eyes… it's as though they’re looking away from the viewer. It invites the question of who is allowed to look, and what right they have to that gaze. Curator: And this interplay is where Ikegwu situates her artwork within the ongoing conversation about representation and visibility, engaging critically with our visual consumption and cultural narrative. It compels us to question and explore our perspectives and expectations of representation. Editor: I agree. "Blanket" functions almost like a visual echo chamber, amplifying historical and present dialogues. A very subtle piece offering many critical narratives to engage with and consider in today's landscape.