Long Island (Straw) 2006

Arsen Savadov made "Long Island (Straw)" with paint, though I don't know exactly when. The water here is so captivating because it is made up of these gorgeous blues, aquas and greens and moves with a certain rhythm that makes the composition as a whole feel like a complete world. I’m really drawn to the way Savadov handles paint, look at the way the shadows play across the surface of the water! It’s thin and transparent in some areas, and opaque and textured in others. You can almost feel the brushstrokes moving back and forth, creating this shimmering effect. The whole image is suffused with a very personal and emotional feeling. For me, “Long Island (Straw)” is a reminder that art is always a conversation, where we are all free to speak our own mind. Think of Magritte, with his playful juxtapositions of recognizable objects in surreal settings. Ultimately, it's about embracing the ambiguity and multiple interpretations that art offers, rather than searching for a single, definitive meaning.