Sunglasses and Leather 

Curator: Immediately, I sense such detachment in this image. The woman's gaze is hidden behind those sunglasses. It evokes a carefully constructed facade. Editor: And it is a fascinating facade, created in acrylic by Patrick Nagel, in his distinctive pop-art style, we might call it modern figuration. Note the stark geometry of the composition: sharp lines, flat planes of color. Very much a product of its time. Curator: Precisely. This image pulsates with the aesthetics of the 1980s. Sunglasses become a symbolic shield, deflecting connection, reinforcing an almost impenetrable coolness. They reflect an aspirational lifestyle – perhaps even a dark mirror image of society at the time. Editor: You know, this "coolness," as you describe it, is visually reinforced. Notice how the color scheme contributes to that aloofness. The pastel background almost contrasts directly with the woman's deep, dark leather jacket and severe haircut, enhancing her sense of presence as a sleek, powerful shape within the pictorial field. Curator: But it's not simply about visual power, is it? The exposed skin, partially visible patterned top… There is an intentional vulnerability beneath that armored exterior. Sunglasses serve not just to hide, but also to allow one to observe unseen, a power dynamic, a separation. Consider the power of being the watcher versus the watched. Editor: An interesting perspective, seeing as the hard, flat, graphic qualities—typical Nagel, indeed typical pop art—are very calculated, to push emotional ambiguity. Curator: Yes, and the very blankness encourages our projections. We interpret what that cool facade really represents—fear, anxiety, power? What memories are evoked for the viewer encountering such an iconic symbol of its cultural period? Editor: A study in contrasts indeed, with strong graphic imagery making compelling shapes and yet evoking these rich layers of meaning. It's a paradox of form.