Monkeys and Ships, mixed media on paper, 150 x 200 cm, 2018
This is one of my newest paintings, and quite large for me. This summer in late June/ early July I am going to paint a mural in Galerie Na shledanou (Gallery Goodbye) in Volyne and I am trying to work larger scale. My mural will be more reductive than this piece I imagine. I thought I would use my theme from my recent drawings but expand on it and have a group of objects together. In the end it may be more decorative than I originally intended .. it looks a bit like wallpaper. But I like the color scheme and sometimes it's better to have lighter work with more cheerful colors. I started thinking of Raoul Dufy's work which is highly indebted to Matisse ... this kind of gestural commercial painting is not so en vogue. For me the work is mostly about color. The contrast of the monkeys and ships suggests a sort of longing for travel or escape. But the monkeys are confused, and so am I.
Here are some details:
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