Pluton – Pluto 2013

Dragan Ilić Di Vogo made this painting, Pluton - Pluto, using delicate washes, and a limited palette, to create something that feels both classical and very strange. I love the way the horse is rendered with so much detail and care, while around it, these almost abstract, planetary forms hover. Look closely at the bottom left; you can see the way that reds and pinks bleed into greens and blues. It’s like a whole other world contained within a sphere. This contrast between the hyper-realism of the horse and the surreal, almost dreamlike quality of the rest of the painting is really striking. There’s something about the muted tones and the slightly melancholic feel of this piece that reminds me of Odilon Redon. Both artists seem to be exploring the boundaries between the visible and the invisible, the real and the imagined. For both, the painting becomes a space where anything is possible.