the beautiful ( ritual) 2015

Otto Constantin’s 2015 painting, *the beautiful ( ritual)*, depicts a group of figures with exaggerated features and masks, creating a fantastical and somewhat unsettling atmosphere. The figures are arranged in a line, standing in a seemingly ritualistic pose, suggesting a sense of community or ceremony. The vibrant colors and expressive faces contribute to the artwork’s unique style, which combines elements of surrealism and folk art. The painting’s title, *the beautiful ( ritual)*, hints at the tension between the grotesque and the beautiful, inviting viewers to contemplate the nature of ritual and its connection to the human experience.