Untitled. Winter Album 2016

This is a watercolour, most likely from Kinder Album’s ‘Winter Album’, and what strikes me is the translucence. The layers of diluted paint create a light, ethereal quality; it’s almost like looking at a dream. You can see how the artist has built up the image through washes of colour. Look at the sky; the way the pale purples and greys blend, they give the sense of a cold winter's day. The paint is so thin in places you can almost see the paper beneath. The stark white of the figures is an unusual contrast, heightening the surreal nature of the scene. I particularly like the subtle blending around the edges of the snow. The artist has embraced the fluidity of the medium, allowing the colours to bleed and merge, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. It reminds me of Paula Rego's work; that same exploration of narrative and the unsettling themes of power and vulnerability. But in the end, like all art, it is an echo of a conversation that has been going on for centuries.