Bardot in Red 2018

Editor: This is "Bardot in Red," an oil on canvas painted in 2018 by Vincent Xeus. The brushstrokes are very loose and textured, almost unfinished, giving the portrait an ephemeral, dreamlike quality. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: The red against that turquoise background immediately evokes a sense of heightened emotionality. Red is, of course, a potent symbol – passion, anger, even danger. And the artist seems to be using this chromatic tension to create a visual language, exploring Bardot as an icon, not just as a person. Editor: An icon? Could you elaborate? Curator: Consider how often her image was reproduced, dissected, and consumed during her career. Xeus isn't just painting a portrait, he's painting an idea, a cultural touchstone. That almost smeared paint application reinforces this idea, almost like a memory fading or being reinterpreted. It reminds us that even celebrity is constructed. What memories, or perhaps illusions, does it bring to your mind? Editor: That's interesting! The smeared paint feels very modern, but painting actresses connects it to classic Hollywood portraiture… a dialogue between eras and expectations. So, you're suggesting the artist isn't just capturing likeness, but tapping into this larger cultural significance. Curator: Precisely. It’s a study of visual language across time. The colour choices, too. Why that arresting shade of turquoise? It's far from naturalistic skin tone. Editor: It forces you to look past the surface. I appreciate that it makes a commentary on image versus reality. Thanks so much. Curator: Indeed! Food for thought about how symbols evolve.