Untitled 1974

This untitled piece is by Gilles Aillaud, who painted the scene with what looks like oil on canvas. The brushstrokes are gentle, creating a smooth surface, and the colours are muted, like a faded memory. It really speaks to artmaking as a patient, almost meditative process. The painting shows turtles, some grouped together on a tiled surface, and one moving towards us on a plain background. I am struck by how Aillaud captures the textures – the rough, segmented shells of the turtles, versus the smooth tile, and the matte surface of the ground. Look how the light hits the shell of the single turtle. The artist has carefully rendered each scute with subtle variations of tone and color. It’s this detailed attention that invites us to contemplate the unique beauty of each creature and the spaces they inhabit. Aillaud’s work reminds me a little of Luc Tuymans, who used a similar color palette and sense of stillness in his own paintings, both artists seem interested in the way paint can be used to evoke a sense of atmosphere. Ultimately, the painting remains open, inviting us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the viewing.