OASIS 1946

Salvador Dalí painted 'Oasis' with oils, and there’s something both classical and totally bizarre about it. Look how thinly the paint has been applied, in some areas it's almost translucent. The composition feels sparse, almost desolate, yet it's meticulously rendered. I wonder what Dalí was thinking when he placed these figures in the dreamlike landscape? The setting reminds me of a stage. Maybe these are actors? Or even better, the inside of his mind – raw, exposed, and surreal. It’s hard to know, but that’s part of the painting’s allure. Consider the broken and fragmented figures, how they’re placed against the smooth, almost creamy, sky. The contrast creates a sense of unease, like a visual puzzle. Gestures like that arm reaching out, convey a feeling of longing or maybe even desperation. Dalí has always been in conversation with other artists and the history of painting. He’s pushing at the edges of what painting can do. It's like he’s saying, ‘Let’s not be afraid to embrace the weird!’