The Calm 2009

Editor: Here we have Bernadette Resha's watercolor, "The Calm," created in 2009. It's a very serene landscape. What I notice most is the soft, diffused light and how it contributes to a feeling of quietude. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Thanks. I think your initial read is insightful. For me, "The Calm" resonates deeply with ideas about environmental consciousness and the importance of representing landscapes not merely as pretty vistas, but as spaces imbued with histories of use and potential misuse. How might Resha's work speak to current discussions about ecological preservation and environmental justice? Editor: That's a great point. I was just thinking about the idea of 'calm' in the context of climate change and eco-anxiety; it's almost unsettling, this peacefulness. Curator: Precisely! Isn't it interesting to consider how notions of "calm" or "peace" have historically been associated with idyllic landscapes, often obscuring the social and ecological dynamics at play? Who has access to this calm, and at what cost? Do you think Resha is intentionally commenting on those inequalities or bringing a broader cultural critique into focus? Editor: It makes me wonder if this 'calm' is a fragile state, or if Resha's documenting a specific landscape being threatened somehow. Perhaps I’m projecting, but there’s an uneasy tension here. Curator: That tension is powerful! And perhaps indicative of how art can act as a subtle form of activism, urging viewers to consider the deeper political and social implications embedded within seemingly tranquil scenes. Has looking through that lens shifted your thinking about landscape art more broadly? Editor: Definitely. I’ll never see a peaceful landscape painting the same way again! Curator: Nor will I!