In a Paris Cafe 1914

Boris Grigoriev made this painting of a Paris cafe with what looks like crayon or pastel, smudging the colors into each other, all these pinks, oranges, and browns, like lipstick on skin. Imagine him in a crowded cafe, trying to capture the scene, the quick gestures like he’s trying to grab hold of all these figures at once. It feels like the marks are laid down urgently. It’s all a blur, a vibe, like trying to sketch a dream you know is slipping away. The painting feels like a conversation with other artists, from Toulouse-Lautrec to the Fauves. Artists are always in conversation, even across time. The slightly off-kilter perspective reminds me of outsider art; the freedom to just make marks and see where they go. It’s kind of punk, like Grigoriev is saying, “Here’s my Paris, take it or leave it!”