The Evening 1989

Dmitri Zhilinsky made this painting, The Evening, but we don't know exactly when. I see the brushstrokes are confident, with very clear edges and bold colour choices. It is a very direct approach. The surfaces in the painting seem quite smooth, but look closer, you can see the fine texture of the canvas beneath the paint. This gives the piece a sort of quiet energy. Look at the dark background, the way it is built up with different tones to create depth and atmosphere. Then there are the hands, they are so beautifully described, so full of life and movement. I love the use of colour to describe form, like the green of the man's shirt, it is not just a flat colour, but a shifting mix of tones. This feels like an intimate portrait, reminiscent of the work of Fairfield Porter, but with its own distinctive voice. What I admire most is the sense of observation, of really seeing and understanding the world. It is an embrace of the quiet beauty of everyday life.