Ase' 2019

Editor: Harmonia Rosales' "Ase'," painted in 2019, using mixed media and oil paint, presents a lush scene with figures reminiscent of classical paintings, but populated with Black subjects. There's a striking contrast in skin tones among some figures that grabs my attention right away. How should we interpret these choices? Curator: Looking at the materials, and especially the artist’s conscious combination of them, highlights a commentary on the historical and contemporary modes of production. Rosales uses oil paint, a traditionally Western medium, but subverts its colonial history by representing African diasporic narratives. What do you make of her artistic decision to include diverse representations in this work? Editor: I'd say that it challenges established canons by inserting Black figures into iconic narratives and actively confronting the legacy of exclusion, while the skin tone differences question societal norms. The peacock feathers in the center become like an African throne of sorts. How does her material selection, specifically mixed media, enhance this interpretation? Curator: The mixed media invites questions around labor and value. The combination allows her to build layers of meaning – the underpainting, the careful glazing of the skin tones, each step contributes to the final commentary. It draws attention to the act of making and thus to the power dynamics inherent in creation and consumption. Is there a contemporary conversation about labor that her use of mixed media suggests? Editor: I think so, it makes me consider questions around the commercial art world. So the material aspect amplifies Rosales' themes of empowerment and rewriting history... Curator: Precisely. This piece utilizes traditional and contemporary methods of making to question, invert, and reclaim narratives. What was your greatest take away from our conversation today? Editor: I had never considered the social statement that lies within material and manufacturing choices before, but I do now! Thank you for sharing your insight.