Babits: The book of Jonah I. 

Curator: I am immediately struck by the raw energy of this piece. The stark black ink against the paper feels urgent and tumultuous. Editor: Yes, that tumultuous energy you observe is certainly a compelling way to characterize the work! This is Maria Bozoky's ink drawing, titled "Babits: The book of Jonah I.". It's part of a series inspired by the biblical story retold by the Hungarian poet Mihály Babits. Curator: Jonah! Of course. I see the chaos of the storm, the whale looming, the utter helplessness in the figure's posture. Is it Jonah cast out into the sea, or perhaps inside the belly of the beast? The lack of definitive form adds to that symbolic ambiguity, doesn't it? Editor: Exactly! Consider the context: the Book of Jonah is rife with cultural significance and metaphors about obedience, rebellion, repentance. Bozoky's work resonates across time. Curator: What strikes me, though, is how even within what appears as chaos, there's a clear use of line. The stark black on white not only creates intensity but almost a graphic-novel quality. But this seems to be pushing beyond the representational—or perhaps reconfiguring it? Editor: Absolutely. You have to appreciate the simplicity of the line work which carries so much visual information to depict themes central to humanity across the centuries: human nature, transgression, divine intervention. One thing I would love to learn more about is how audiences initially received work such as Bozoky's. Curator: The monochromatic palette speaks to a psychological starkness as well, forcing us to confront our rawest emotions around the themes explored in the original text. What I like the most is how her drawing makes it fresh and new again! Editor: It is wonderful how artistic visions can reframe ancient texts into experiences of our contemporary reality. Thank you for offering your astute vision on this evocative drawing!