Marker 

Dan Graziano’s painting captures a solitary red marker floating on the water. More than a mere navigational aid, this marker is a symbol of guidance and warning, akin to the lighthouses of antiquity. The vivid red, reminiscent of blood or fire, immediately seizes our attention, a primal signal ingrained in our subconscious. Think of the red thread Ariadne gave Theseus to guide him out of the labyrinth. This marker, too, whispers of safe passage through treacherous waters. The number '2' emblazoned on its side serves as a specific signifier, a call to those who understand its coded message. Consider the cyclical nature of symbols: the protective beacon, once a sacred flame tended by priestesses, is now a mass-produced object, yet its underlying purpose remains unchanged. It speaks to a collective desire for safety and direction, a need as old as humanity itself. The marker, then, is not just an object, but a vessel carrying centuries of cultural memory.