GROUP CELEBRATION 2016

Babak-Matveev made ‘Group Celebration’ in 2014, and what a party it looks like! There is the coming together of friends, dressed in their best brightly coloured jackets, greens and yellows, pinks and purples; the air is full of song and laughter. I can almost feel the artist at work, layering the scene with joyful colours. What kind of life were they living that they wanted to make this? What do you think they were thinking about when they made it? I can imagine them thinking about what is important to them. The details invite us to look closer at the cat, the geese, and the expressions on each man's face. You can see something of the Russian folk tradition here, maybe even of Chagall's dreamscapes. It’s almost like a stage set, and everyone is playing their part. Making paintings is like having a chat with other artists, a conversation across time. This group of party-goers certainly makes you want to join in.