The heart of the grapes. Love. 2019

Curator: Here we have Yulia Mamontova's 2019 piece, "The heart of the grapes. Love.", crafted with oil and acrylic paint, notably employing an impasto technique. What are your initial impressions? Editor: It’s… tactile. The thick impasto makes me want to reach out and touch the surface. There’s a rawness, almost visceral, in the application of the red paint, especially. Curator: The title suggests a thematic link to both nature and emotion, fitting into a larger art historical tradition where these concepts intersect. Given that this was made recently, in what ways do you see that manifesting? Editor: Visually, the overlapping circular forms immediately suggest floral or fruit motifs, albeit highly abstracted. I see those crimson tones dominating the composition and lending a sense of warmth, although, that scattered black adds some dramatic flair, right? Curator: Indeed. And I would note that in many cultures grapes are tied to ideas about community, transformation, and even divine love. In a contemporary socio-political landscape increasingly fragmented and digital, this painting returns us to something elemental and deeply human. The matter-painting quality you noted really enforces that grounding, if you will. Editor: Yes, it's certainly not slick or digitally precise! I see that now. The materiality fights against perfect representation, directing our focus toward the surface. Those yellows—highlights?—hint at an inner luminosity struggling to be seen beneath layers of red. Curator: And this contrast resonates well with how human relationships demand nurturing in order to flourish, pushing back on external hardships in everyday society. What is particularly potent is that through her painting, Mamontova captures love not as a simple solution to suffering, but in a textured way, an acknowledgement of the messy and beautiful work of empathy itself. Editor: Agreed. What appeared to be a mere stylistic choice now takes on deeper symbolic resonance when placed in conversation with the title and the artist's intent. It prompts further contemplation! Curator: It certainly does. An interesting glimpse at modern love and its artistic representation. Editor: Indeed, an intriguing encounter, full of tactility and emotion.