Moon Charmer 2015

Editor: "Moon Charmer," an oil painting by Michael Cheval from 2015…it definitely has this dreamlike, surreal quality. There's a jester juggling moons on a beach with a child holding a candle nearby. What do you see in this piece, particularly regarding its symbolism? Curator: The power of an image resides in its layers. Think of the jester, Editor, as a guardian of dreams or perhaps even a translator of lunar influence. Traditionally, the jester is a figure of trickery, but also wisdom. Do you notice the figure is positioned between the earthly child, and the moons above? Editor: Yes, he seems like a bridge between different worlds, connecting the tangible with the…well, cosmic. Curator: Exactly. And moons themselves represent cycles, the subconscious, the feminine. The child by contrast is tethered to the immediate reality of a small fire, illuminating what? Editor: Maybe illuminating the mundane? Providing a contrast to the extraordinary display of the moons. It's a visual paradox, light against light. Is there also something about how Cheval uses these familiar archetypes – the child, the fool – to discuss grander themes of connection? Curator: Indeed. These symbols, drawn from our collective cultural memory, are the visual vocabulary he uses to explore themes of imagination, mystery and shared experience. Each symbol is part of the puzzle. By placing them in conversation, the piece triggers both cultural recognition and encourages emotional, subjective response. And, do you notice how the child watches the jester, transfixed by his game? Editor: Now that you point it out, their gazes form a diagonal that locks them together and sets up that contrast between the child, fixed in his world and the jester with his moons that reach to the sky. Fascinating! Curator: It all builds to a potent interplay, leaving us contemplating the nature of illusion, reality, and the powerful magic of imagery.