Redhead 2004

Andrey Remnev made this painting, Redhead, with what looks like oil on canvas, and his handling of the paint is really interesting. He's using these thin, washy layers to build up the image, which gives it this dreamlike, almost translucent quality. The surface is smooth, but you can still sense the texture of the canvas underneath, which adds a bit of grit and realness to the whole thing. Take a look at the way Remnev renders the dress: it’s not just fabric, but a whole townscape with buildings and people and horses, and a dog running along too. It's as if the dress is holding stories, histories, and memories, or as if she contains the whole city in her being. Reminds me a little of Chagall, but Remnev has this hyper-realist edge that makes it totally his own. Ultimately, this piece is about layers – of paint, of meaning, of history. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be about answers, but about embracing the endless possibilities of interpretation.