Gray August 2004

Andrey Remnev made this painting, Gray August, using oil on canvas. Just look at the way these kids are about to leap into the air! This could be Ilya Repin, it could be Rockwell Kent, who knows, maybe even Balthus! I can just see Remnev in his studio layering the paint so carefully, building up the image in a way that feels both very controlled and also loose and dreamy. I really love the flatness of the picture plane. The artist is doing a little bit of everything here - they flatten out the houses behind and they take liberties with perspective. It feels as though we are on that swing with them, feeling the wind in our faces, which gives the painting such a playful vibe. There’s something so universal about it, right? Childhood, play, joy, and those endless summer days! Painting is an ongoing conversation between artists through time. Remnev's taken his place in that lineage here, in his own unique way. It’s about memory, feeling, and trying to capture something elusive on canvas, something that transcends language.