Silence 2019

Michael Cheval made this painting, Silence, with oils, and it's a trip! Just look at that backdrop of orange polka dots! I can't help but imagine Cheval in the studio layering up these details, the impasto of the blue dress and the phone receiver. And the oddest ruff I've ever seen! The detail is truly mesmerizing. You get the feeling that the artist is enjoying the absurdity of the scene; a woman wearing an odd hat with a telephone receiver like she’s receiving signals from outer space. It is just so strange! I’m thinking about painters like Magritte or Dali, who are also masters of the surreal. This painting is a reminder that the art world is really just an ongoing conversation across generations, and that these painters are all pushing each other in amazing ways.