Soldier's Bathhouse 1987

Oleg Holosiy made "Soldier's Bathhouse" with what looks like oil on canvas. The palette is reserved, mostly greys and browns, but with these small flashes of orange that just bring the whole thing to life. It feels like Holosiy is making something up as he goes, letting the painting lead the way. There’s a real physicality to the paint, it's applied thinly in layers, almost translucent in places, so you can see the texture of the canvas coming through. Then, in other areas, especially around the figures, the paint is thicker, more opaque. Look at that figure bending over, there’s a real sense of strain, of effort. The paint seems to mimic that, thick and heavy. The way the figures are rendered is so interesting, some are almost like mannequins, while others have a bit more life to them. It makes me think of Picabia, with his mix of mechanical and organic forms, that kind of surreal playfulness. Ultimately, I think this piece shows us that art is about the conversation between the artist, the materials, and the world, and it doesn't always need to make perfect sense.