David and Barbara Carr c. 1940

Editor: Here we have "David and Barbara Carr" by Sir Cedric Morris. The texture of the paint makes their sweaters look so soft, but their expressions feel...distant, almost otherworldly. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s funny you say that, because to me, the painting feels like a memory. See how Barbara hovers behind David? Morris captures that fleeting nature of connection, that sense of someone being both present and just out of reach. The faces are masks, aren't they, reflecting us back? Editor: Masks... I hadn't thought of that. So, it's less about these specific people, and more about...everyone? Curator: Perhaps. Or perhaps it's about how we choose to see each other, how we construct identities through art. It’s a bit like trying to catch smoke, isn't it? Ultimately, the painting invites us to contemplate the mysteries within human relationships. Editor: That's beautifully put. I’ll never look at a portrait the same way again.