Ahinora 1925

Ivan Milev painted "Ahinora" in 1925 with what looks like tempera on canvas, and the whole surface has this amazing flatness, like a poster or a Byzantine icon. It's got this incredible mix of folk art and something really modern going on, like he's making up his own language of symbols. Look how the colors are laid down, kind of dry and matte, no glossy blending here. The painting feels less like a window and more like a wall, you know? And those eyes, they’re staring right through you, but with a kind of gentle sadness. I love the details, especially the knitted veil, that’s pure genius. Milev reminds me a bit of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also mixed folk elements with a modernist sensibility. What’s so cool about art is that it’s not about getting one right answer, it's about opening up possibilities, like Milev does here.