The Wanderer 2018

Timur Akhriev’s painting, The Wanderer, is a juicy oil painting whose colour palette speaks of cool toned greens, blues and whites. It feels like the kind of painting where you can see the artist working through the process, trying to figure things out as they go. Look at the crown of the Wanderer, and you can see how the thick paint is layered and swirled to create this ethereal effect. It’s almost like the paint itself is wandering, searching for the right form. Akhriev isn't afraid to let the material qualities of paint shine, and in this way, texture becomes almost as important as the image itself. The juicy brushstrokes, full of life and movement, remind me a little of Joan Mitchell, someone who knew how to let a painting breathe and evolve. Ultimately, Akhriev’s work shows us that art is a conversation, constantly changing, and never really settling on one single meaning.