Repentance.Variation on themes by Pinturicchio and Raphael.(dedicated to Vasily Katanyan) 1989

Sergei Parajanov made this collage called Repentance as a variation on themes by Pinturicchio and Raphael. It's a real mix of stuff: paint, paper, found objects. The layering and juxtaposition of the materials speak to artmaking as a process of accumulation and transformation, don't you think? The textures are so rich: the smooth sheen of the pearls against the rough edges of the paper cut-outs. Look at the way Parajanov uses the shells to create a sense of depth and dimensionality. In particular, the rose stuck to the woman's face is odd and awkward; it creates an emotional tension in the piece, a sense of fragility. Parajanov's sensibility reminds me of Joseph Cornell's boxes; his approach to layering references and materials is similar to the way Cornell used to create these amazing, intimate, personal worlds. Ultimately, art is always a conversation across time, a back and forth of ideas and influences.