Carousel Dog c. 1938

Michael Riccitelli made this drawing of a Carousel Dog, and right away you can see his focus on the physicality of the medium, those colours have a warm, inviting feel to them. The lines are so delicate and precise, aren’t they? It’s amazing how they define the form of the dog, almost like he's been fluffed out. The way the lines follow the contours of the body, suggesting a kind of tactile quality – you can almost feel the texture of the fur. Notice the saddle and the way the light hits it. There’s a real sense of depth and volume there. Riccitelli's dog reminds me a little bit of Red Grooms, who also understood the charm of the everyday. His style, like Grooms, embraces a kind of playful ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own interpretations. Art isn’t about definitive answers, is it? It's an ongoing conversation.