Rounding the Turn 

Arthur Saron Sarnoff’s painting "Rounding the Turn" captures a moment of dynamic energy, thick with materiality. The composition is structured around the diagonal thrust of the horses, surging from left to right. Sarnoff contrasts muted earth tones with vibrant jockey silks of red, green and blue, creating a chromatic tension. The texture is palpable, built up from visible brushstrokes that animate the scene. Linear forms are blurred, emphasizing movement and speed. The image operates within a semiotic system where speed, competition, and social status are encoded through the visual symbols of horse racing. The structural elements, like the blurred lines and dynamic composition, contribute to a sensory experience. The painting invites us to consider how our perceptions of movement and excitement are constructed through the artist's manipulation of form, color, and texture. Sarnoff captures a cultural event through the materiality of paint. The piece destabilizes the static nature of painting to suggest the fleeting, high-stakes environment of the racetrack.