Promenade with a Neurotic Fox 1975

Lubo Kristek captured this scene with a camera, immortalizing the man, and his interesting canine companion. I can imagine Kristek observing this gentleman, maybe feeling a kinship with the slightly absurd and melancholic air he exudes. There's a quiet theatricality to the man's attire – the beret, the cape – as if he's consciously performing a role. Maybe the neurotic fox is a stand-in for all the anxieties and absurdities of modern life? As a painter, I often think about how we project our inner selves onto the world, how our emotional landscapes shape our perceptions. This image seems to capture that tension. Is the fox really neurotic, or is that a reflection of the man's own state of mind? There’s a dialogue happening between artist, subject, and viewer, a shared space of inquiry where we can contemplate the messy, beautiful complexities of being human. It's an invitation to embrace the ambiguities and uncertainties, and to find our own meaning within the frame.