The Evening 1989

Dmitri Zhilinsky, the Russian painter, created this scene using oils, probably over a number of sessions. Looking at it, I’m thinking about the act of painting itself. You know, how a painting comes into being, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition? I sympathize with Zhilinsky. I imagine him thinking about how the flowers in the vase are placed just so, and the surface of the table with a carefully chosen cloth. These elements shape our experience. It is like the artist is inviting us in to the intimate domestic space. See how the artist has placed the figures? They're not quite touching, but there's a palpable connection, maybe a conversation or a shared moment of reflection. I wonder if it is about connection and disconnection. Perhaps it relates to Zhilinsky's wider practice. I feel the pull of other painters, too, especially the stillness of Balthus. I think artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring one another across time. Painting is an ongoing expression of life, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty.