Bob Steer Head 

Curator: Right in front of us is a striking work titled "Bob Steer Head" by Georgia O'Keeffe. It's rendered in oil on canvas. What strikes you first about this piece? Editor: Honestly, that skull staring back at me? Gives me this sort of high-desert melancholy vibe. It's so stark against the muted backdrop, you know? Feels both ancient and strangely…alive. Like it's got stories etched into its very bone. Curator: Exactly. O’Keeffe masterfully utilizes the skull – a symbol often linked to mortality and memento mori traditions – and recontextualizes it within the vastness of the American Southwest. Note how the skull is positioned centrally and isolated; this placement evokes notions of resilience and endurance amidst harsh, desolate conditions. Editor: Mmm, endurance. I dig that. The way the light catches those curves and hollows, too—there’s something beautiful in the decay, almost celebratory. Like the land itself is reclaiming what was once vital. Is that mane intentional, almost clown-like? Curator: An astute observation! I believe that the inclusion of what might be animal hair speaks to O’Keeffe’s engagement with themes of identity and adornment, perhaps playfully contrasting the rawness of the natural world with elements of theatrical display. But don't be fooled, that 'clown-like' imagery of O'Keeffe actually invites reflections of our transient human lives in relation to larger natural cycles of birth, death, decay and rebirth. Editor: So, not just bones and dust? It makes me think, does confronting death allow her to celebrate life? Almost mocking what's lost or gone. And hey, wasn’t O'Keeffe notorious for flipping conventions on their heads? Curator: Absolutely. The "Bob Steer Head" captures something fundamental about existence itself, but is told using distinctly personal visual idioms and her life out West. Editor: So, it's less about bleakness and more about… a wink and a nod to the inevitable. That skull almost dares you to look away, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely, yes! Now, I will view landscapes much more differently going forward! Editor: Ditto. Made of sterner stuff after meeting "Bob Steer Head"!