Silakka Asetelma 1918

Tyko Sallinen made this painting of a still life, probably in the early 20th century, with oil on canvas. I can imagine the thick strokes of dark blue and brown, applied with a heavily loaded brush, building up a rich, almost crusty surface. I bet he stood before the canvas, brush in hand, thinking about the balance of light and shadow, deciding where to let the colors bleed and blend. The way the white and red of the fish stand out against the somber background... It’s like a little stage set, isn't it? The fish, the mug, the knife, all actors in a silent drama. Sallinen was part of a generation of artists who were reinventing the wheel. They looked at Van Gogh, at Munch, and thought, "How can I make this my own?" It's like they're all in a conversation, passing ideas back and forth across time. And that’s what painting is, right? An ongoing, messy, beautiful conversation where there are no wrong answers.