Art Review: Susana Barretto by Maria Ramos

 

Art Review by Maria Ramos

Maria Ramos

Studio Research 2

Professor Jung

2 October 2025

“Kachi’s Catch Interior”, by Susana Barretto, is a monochromatic digital drawing drawn in Photoshop and Procreate. This is an illustration of a thrift store drawn in one-point perspective. The eye is immediately drawn to the center of the image towards the light source which are the double doors. The store is filled with a variety of objects such as a clothing rack, plushies, vintage paintings, books, and small trinkets. The style is characterized by crisp dark line work and strong values of shades of gray which define form, volume and texture. The shadows casted by the light of the entryway is a strong visual feature of the overall composition and instills loneliness. It's funny I mention loneliness because the store is obviously packed, but we don’t see anyone inside. The “closed” sign on the door signifies the store is open, then again, the lights inside are either very dim or not on at all, making the store seem vacant and closed.

I enjoy the peculiarities of the scene and I believe it elevates it beyond an ordinary concept drawing. The merchandise is odd and whimsical, displaying vintage paintings with folklore figures (such as the orc couple on the far left of the composition), a piranha (an easter egg from Little Shop of Horrors), a dragon figurine, and a trashcan with a strong personality. The ominous hooded figure outside the store doesn’t seem like any ordinary human-being I’ve ever seen. It appears to look like an arched wizard with a cape (my interpretation) casting a large shadow on the floor of the store which would imply this scene takes place in a fantasy realm.

The meaning of “Kachi’s Catch Interior” carries a collection of treasures, indicating that the store focuses more on the value and stories behind the objects rather than just selling them, reminding me of the antique shop from Toy Story 4. The layout of the store gives me a peek of who the collector is. They tend and organize their collection and they find beauty in gathering unusual objects. I did mention that the composition instilled loneliness due to the lack of customers inside, but at the same time, the store’s interior feels safe. This can be seen as a sanctuary in Susana’s mind, where her ideas and creative outlook are all held in one space, shielded from the outside world.



I believe Susana’s artwork really succeeds in creating a rich narrative environment. It evokes curiosity and a sense of nostalgia (but in an otherworldly kind of way). When I observe this piece, I’m reminded of my Dragonborn character in Dungeons and Dragons (those were the days). The dramatic lighting builds suspense and the scene has so many hidden objects to look at; it's fun! The piece could improve by adding more objects in the large flat areas like the floor, but, overall, the work is strong, and demonstrates great skill that establishes an understanding of value and perspective.