Maenads 2 2005

Sorin Ilfoveanu made this tempera painting, called 'Maenads 2', in black and gold. It's all about the line, a kind of nervous but controlled outline of figures. The gold pigment feels illuminated against the matte black background. It's applied thinly, revealing a sense of the artist’s hand. Look closely, and you can see the texture of the brushstrokes, especially in the parallel lines that describe the bodies of the animals. The way the golden pigment is spread out reminds me of cave paintings, almost like a drawing made with light. The woman’s body seems weightless, almost floating above the beasts. The artist uses the linear form to abstract the figures, to imply movement and expression. It reminds me a little of Gustav Klimt, who also worked a lot with gold. Ilfoveanu's painting embraces ambiguity, and it's this openness that allows us to bring our own readings to the work.