Self Portrait 1965

This self-portrait was painted by Yuri Zlotnikov using fluid strokes of gouache or watercolor. The artist’s chosen materials are traditionally associated with spontaneity, and offer a sharp contrast to the artist’s more well-known constructivist works. Here, the artist uses the inherent qualities of watercolor to build a sense of the subject, adding washes of pigment to bring depth and weight to his composition. His deliberate use of color and loose brushstrokes gives the portrait its distinctive character. The overall effect is one of an unfinished, rapidly executed sketch. In turning to a relatively low-cost, low-pressure medium, Zlotnikov could explore abstraction without the formal stakes associated with oil painting. By embracing the immediacy of watercolor, the artist blurs the boundaries between high art and informal, exploratory practices. This suggests how careful attention to the processes of making allows a deeper appreciation of the work and its social context.