Extension #1 2016

Editor: We’re looking at Rodrigo Franzao’s mixed-media piece, "Extension #1," from 2016. It’s quite striking; it’s a collage and sculpture of sorts, with an image of an orange hand punching through layers of white material. What’s your take on this work? Curator: What grabs me immediately is the symbolism embedded within the image. The hand bursting through, tearing apart the neat, organized structure, carries echoes of liberation, a rupture of the status quo. The blue sky behind the hand evokes freedom, a space of boundless possibility. Editor: That's interesting! The sky could be interpreted in different ways. I was focusing more on the violent, almost aggressive gesture. Is there more to the material choices as well? Curator: Absolutely. The fragility of the torn white layers, juxtaposed with the assertive hand, could represent the vulnerability of systems and structures when confronted with individual agency. Think about the historical symbolism of hands in art – from Michelangelo’s "Creation of Adam" to revolutionary posters, hands are potent symbols of action and connection. Does this association resonate with you here? Editor: It does, particularly the revolutionary aspect, given how violently it pierces through the white surface. Is there anything biomorphic to suggest life itself? Curator: The biomorphic element comes in the representation of the hand and what the orange represents in this particular work of art, the human connection to one's true colors trying to escape what cages them. That hand disrupts, but it also *reaches*. Does seeing that add another layer for you? Editor: I hadn’t considered that reading, but now it brings a certain sense of optimism and human will into the composition. It shows how the language of symbolism adds different layers to even simple works. Curator: Exactly! The conversation between material, gesture, and symbol creates a compelling narrative about breaking barriers and reaching for something beyond.