Rags 2020

Andrey Remnev created "Rags" using oil on canvas with layering and glazing techniques reminiscent of classical painting. The composition is strikingly constructed with patterns, figures and a foreground of greyhounds, creating a tapestry-like surface where representational elements seem woven together. The painting presents a series of women holding up different textiles or cloths, each displaying unique scenes. This play with layers and frames within the painting invites us to consider the nature of representation itself. Remnev challenges the traditional concept of a painting as a window onto the world, instead emphasizing its character as a constructed surface. The textile patterns worn by the women, along with the scenes depicted on the cloths they hold, destabilize any singular reading. Ultimately, Remnev's attention to detail and his careful arrangement of forms create a self-referential quality that prompts us to reflect on the constructed nature of art and meaning.