Canadian Envelope 1977

Avigdor Arikha’s still life, 'Canadian Envelope', presents an arrangement of books, an envelope, glasses, and their case. Arikha was born in Romania but spent a significant portion of his life in Israel and France. His experience as a Jewish individual during World War II profoundly shaped his perspective, and he was known for his commitment to representational art. He once said "I want to see things as they are". His work often carries a sense of introspection and a focus on the intimate and immediate. In this painting, the everyday objects become imbued with significance through Arikha's deliberate attention to their textures and forms. The painting encourages a reflection on the quiet moments of life, a pause amidst the noise. The Canadian envelope might hint to relationships and communications across distances. It asks us to consider how the mundane objects can hold layers of personal and cultural meaning, and how the act of seeing itself is a complex process of interpretation.