Clown 1934

Mikuláš Galanda made this painting, Clown, with oil paint, sometime before 1938. The marks are soft and blended, and the color palette is restrained, mostly muted tones except for that little pop of pink. It reminds me of when you are trying to figure something out through the very act of applying the paint. Look closely, and you'll see how the texture of the paint gives the clown a ghostly presence. The thin layers create a sense of depth, but they also feel fragile. The way he’s painted those hands, clasped together, it's like he’s holding onto something precious, or maybe just trying to keep himself from falling apart. I can see a tiny bit of bright red on his lips. It's such a small detail, but it brings the whole painting to life. Galanda was part of the Slovak avant-garde, and this piece has a kinship with work by artists like Picasso in his blue period. Yet, here, it’s as if the artist is letting us see something intimate about the act of performing.