L’Rat et L’huître 2019

Carlos Sablòn painted "L’Rat et L’huître" using delicate brushstrokes and a muted color palette. I'm immediately drawn to the whimsical nature of this painting, and the dreamlike quality of the landscape that frames the characters. I can imagine Sablòn carefully building up layers of paint, intuitively shaping the rat's curious expression as it gazes upon the oyster, probably not with the same enthusiasm of one of my cats at feeding time. This could be how the painting came into being, in a process of trial and error, and maybe even by accident? The smooth surface of the oyster contrasts with the fur on the rat, and this juxtaposition adds to the painting's overall charm. I feel Sablòn's careful attention to detail in the glazes of color, how they interact and make the image almost glow. This piece reminds me a little of outsider art and folk painting traditions, where the story is a kind of playful and moral fable. It speaks to the ongoing conversation between artists across time. I like how the artist embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings that can change over time!