Folio Society – The Folio book of Ghost Stories 

Editor: This illustration is by Owen Gent for "The Folio Book of Ghost Stories", made with acrylic paint. It definitely has an eerie, unsettling vibe to it, with that dark figure looming over the well. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This piece really speaks to the intersection of historical anxieties and contemporary representation. The well, an archetypal image, evokes both sustenance and potential danger, symbolizing the depths of the unknown but also recalling how throughout history women in particular were closely associated with sources of water. Gent’s illustration creates a dialogue with societal power dynamics. Look closely – what do you make of the figures carved into the well’s structure itself? Editor: They look almost Greek or Roman, like classical depictions of athletic competition. But placed on the well like that, it does feel unsettling... juxtaposing stories or eras. Curator: Exactly. These classical motifs are brought together with the shrouded figure that is between the viewer and this opening, raising complex questions. Is this a specter of the past returning to haunt us? Consider that throughout history marginalized voices are very often silenced or dismissed. How might we relate that silencing to the image of the dark figure obscuring the well’s opening? Editor: I see, like that figure embodies the obscured narratives we tend to ignore. Curator: Precisely. It encourages us to confront those very historical, societal inequities... and make a change. Editor: Wow, that adds a whole new layer of meaning. I was just seeing a spooky image but it's so much more complex than that. Curator: Right! Engaging with art means diving into those murky waters of history, politics and identity. Editor: Definitely. Thanks for pointing that out; it's a ghost story, but not in the way I initially thought!