Punch's Head c. 1937

Edward Strzalkowski painted this watercolour of a Punch puppet head, but we don't know when. There’s something creepy and a little funny about this guy’s face – the wide, toothy grin, the staring eyes, and that long nose! I imagine Strzalkowski studying this puppet, maybe even holding it, turning it this way and that, trying to capture its essence. The artist is using watercolour in a traditional way, but the subject itself is quite strange, something from folk art. It reminds me a little of the work of Philip Guston. You can see him grappling with representation, trying to capture the texture of the fabrics and the light on the painted wood. Artists are always looking at each other's work, borrowing ideas, and pushing boundaries. Painting is like a big, ongoing conversation. Strzalkowski’s Punch Head embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, inviting us to bring our own interpretations.