Ramon Hurtado
Cinematic Arts (Animation and Digital Arts)
Digital image: “Who Are You?,” 2008

The interplay of logic and illogic permeates the work of Lewis Carroll. In this digitally created entry Hurtado illuminates the tension between logic and madness that drives the narrative of the two Alice books. The composition centers on Alice, who, confronted by the Caterpillar, is unable to answer his question about who she is. Here she embodies the center of order, reinforcing the idea of the protagonist as the sole agent of logic in Wonderland. Her rigid posture reinforces Victorian conventions of morality, standing firmly in opposition to the madness and moral laxity of the Caterpillar. The painting finds its title in this moment, when Alice’s worldview is thrown askew by three simple words: who are you?