Untitled 

Vladimir Dimitrov painted this untitled still life with oils on canvas. These materials are relatively traditional, but the way Dimitrov has applied them is not. Look closely, and you’ll see how the forms of the fruit emerge from a lattice of brushstrokes. The paint isn’t blended smoothly to mimic reality. Instead, the artist uses discrete strokes of different colors to give a sense of volume and light. This technique echoes the work of the Impressionists, and lends the painting a distinctly modern feel. Dimitrov seems less concerned with the individual apples and pears, than with their collective effect. He repeats and varies the forms, creating a tapestry of color and shape. This approach suggests a democratic sensibility, elevating the humble still life to a monumental scale. It also emphasizes the labor involved in cultivating and harvesting these fruits. This reflects the artist’s involvement with social issues in his native Bulgaria.