And we are opening the gates 1922

Nicholas Roerich’s ‘And we are opening the gates’ is a painting made with oil on canvas. The subdued rose, blue and yellow palette gives it a kind of faded grandeur. The sky is not quite blue, the hills not really green, and the monastery gate glows in the distance. It’s as though it has come into being gradually, over time. I can imagine Roerich layering the colors in his studio. It is a delicate balance of representation and abstraction. The texture of the paint is not too thick, allowing the underlayers to peek through, creating a sense of depth and history. It feels like a dream, one that is familiar and comforting. It is a testament to the power of painting that it can create a mood and evoke a feeling with such economy. It’s a quiet painting, but it speaks volumes. It is a reminder that painting can be a form of embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty. Painting allows for multiple interpretations and meanings over fixed or definitive readings.