Immortality 1967

Victor Puzyrkov created Immortality using oil paint, a medium with a rich history, here deployed to capture a scene of stark wartime reality. The texture of the paint, applied with visible brushstrokes, imbues the work with a sense of immediacy, heightening the emotional impact of the scene. The artist masterfully uses the materiality of oil paint to capture the subjects’ physical and psychological states. The choice of clothing, particularly the striped sailor shirts and the German military uniforms, root the painting in a specific socio-political context. The clothing of the prisoners, torn and bloodied, is depicted with realism, emphasizing their suffering. The labor inherent in producing textiles, as well as the labor of the subjects are both important aspects of the composition. By focusing on the materiality of the paint and the socio-political context of the scene, Puzyrkov challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.