Description

Curtains by Carlos Quinto Kemm is a surreal mixed-media artwork created during and inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. It reflects themes of isolation, connection, and transformation through a carefully layered composition.

At the center of the piece, two silhouetted figures stand hand in hand, their bodies filled with imagery from a well-known painting of Central Park. This choice symbolizes life at its fullest—lush, vibrant, and filled with human presence—contrasting with the barren, reddish-brown landscape they stand upon. The figures serve as a poignant reminder of what was lost or placed on hold during the pandemic, emphasizing the longing for normalcy and togetherness.

The background features a dramatic sky where swirling images of tornadoes are seamlessly blended with curtains. This fusion of natural disaster and theatrical drapery suggests a duality: the chaos and destruction of the pandemic alongside the idea of a grand unveiling or transition into a new reality. The curtains hint at a stage-like setting, reinforcing the notion that humanity was caught in an unfolding drama beyond its control.

Framed within an ornate, multi-layered border adorned with classical imagery, Curtains carries a sense of history and myth, connecting past struggles with the present. Kemm’s use of collage and symbolic layering makes this piece a profound meditation on resilience, loss, and the uncertain future that lay beyond the pandemic’s grip.