Mother and Child c. 20th century

Editor: This is Elsa Schmid’s "Mother and Child." It's striking how she has combined the tender subject with almost brutalist forms in the background. What do you see in this contrast? Curator: I see a fascinating negotiation of public and private spheres. Schmid's Cubist-influenced architectural elements could represent the social realities and constraints placed on women, framing her personal role as a mother. How do you think the artist's choices impact the politics of this imagery? Editor: I hadn’t considered it in that way; it reframes what I thought was simply an aesthetic choice. Thank you. Curator: It's in those reframings that we can better see the artwork's public role.