Untitled 

Curator: Well, I'm immediately drawn in by the texture. Look closely – you can see the grain of the paper shimmering through the watercolour washes. It gives this "Untitled" work by Oronzo Vito Gasparo such an appealing handmade feel. Editor: I agree. It does have an almost fabric-like quality, lending a certain domesticity to the composition. I wonder about the process? It seems the artist built up thin layers of watercolor, allowing the underlying paper to influence the color. Notice the raw edges, no frame needed. It prioritizes accessibility and everyday life rather than the high art world. Curator: Yes! And consider the imagery he's chosen. A halved face of black and white curls, golden brown flesh, one side painted in pink... Then there’s the sun, the moon, a lotus flower and an ancient Grecian urn, simplified to an almost childlike rendering, all existing in a world of their own. This evokes such a symbolic representation of duality. The union of seemingly opposite entities... almost Jungian, don't you think? Editor: Possibly, but I read the division somewhat differently. Instead of just duality, it's like a commentary on consumption, and potentially cultural hybridity. We see fragments assembled almost as byproducts in consumerism... Or is the artist trying to reclaim discarded remnants of traditional aesthetics and materials? The choice to pair Western beauty standards next to more classical elements may be an intentional choice about colonization and reclaiming imagery. Curator: It’s quite a complex, multifaceted statement then. To me the halves also remind me of the push and pull between our inner and outer selves, maybe a self-portrait showcasing multiple identities and a sort of personal and historical hybridity. It is really interesting how personal such a simple piece can become when viewed differently. Editor: Ultimately, it is exciting to see what messages visitors might extract through their personal background and views of how art impacts contemporary materials. The simplicity in production juxtaposed to complexity of its ideas and impressions shows a new side to what material access offers us now. Curator: Absolutely. It really demonstrates how personal history can shape how an image speaks. Editor: Precisely!