Sofia. View from the bell tower 1960

Yuriy Khymych made this painting, Sofia. View from the bell tower, with oil on cardboard. It’s a kind of fever dream of blues and purples, punctuated with gold. I like to imagine Khymych up in that bell tower, brush in hand, trying to capture the essence of the Sofia. It's like he’s wrestling with the building, trying to pin down its spirit with these bold strokes. You can see the hand of the artist in every dab and smear. The paint isn't trying to hide itself, it’s not trying to be smooth or perfect, it wants to be there, thick and present. Check out that little touch of orange there! What was he thinking? Maybe he just needed a jolt, a little bit of rebellion against all that blue. I think Khymych was inspired by artists like the Impressionists who weren't afraid to go outside and paint what they saw, to capture a moment in time. We all pick up where someone left off. It’s a visual conversation!