Composition (Fish) 1929

Georges Valmier’s ‘Composition (Fish)’ is a painting of the Cubist style, with a muted color palette and angular forms that suggest trial, error, and intuition in its making. The painting is so interesting because it seems like Valmier is trying to figure something out. Sympathizing with the artist, one wonders whether he began with the title or whether the artwork gave rise to the title? The texture of the paint, the flatness of the surface, everything contributes to how we feel about it. I love the stripey brushstrokes that form a kind of shadow and the thin layers of color. It’s like he’s letting the painting breathe, which is a generosity afforded to viewers. Painters are always in conversation, echoing and riffing off each other’s ideas, across time. Painting is a form of expression that allows for multiple readings and interpretations.