Petroglyph Design

Editor: Here we have Lala Eve Rivol's "Petroglyph Design," created sometime between 1935 and 1942, a watercolor drawing on paper. The symbols have a beautiful, ancient quality. What story do you think Rivol is trying to tell with this piece? Curator: A story, indeed! More like a glimpse into another world, don't you think? I find myself wondering, were these petroglyphs copied faithfully, or were they filtered through Rivol's own imagination? And look at the colours – earthy reds, that teal that echoes water…they aren’t literal, are they? They’re whispering to us about a connection, a translation of something profound. Editor: So, you see a translation more than a record? The abstract forms certainly give it that feeling. Curator: Absolutely! Imagine her sitting, surrounded by the desert landscape, sketchbook in hand, and these age-old symbols jumping off the rocks and into her consciousness. It’s almost like a conversation across time. She's capturing the *feeling* of the petroglyphs as much as their shape, wouldn't you agree? What about the circular motifs - anything come to mind? Editor: I'm struck by how contemporary this feels despite its connection to ancient forms. They remind me of shields, somehow… or portals. Curator: Yes! Shields, portals… Perhaps a way of protecting and preserving, or even opening doors to understanding. What I really love is how she invites us to participate in that interpretation. She's not dictating meaning; she’s offering an encounter. I feel this sense of awe towards the past now that I didn't before, and that makes her choices successful to me. Editor: I never thought of it that way - as an encounter, more than just an image. It’s definitely changed how I see it.