Project for a mural, Norine House, Brussels 1931

This ‘Project for a Mural’ was made by René Magritte, possibly with gouache, for a house in Brussels. There’s this flattened, almost screen-printed look. It’s not about depth, but about layering shapes and seeing what happens. The mermaid looks like she’s been cut out and pasted on. The colors aren't blended; instead, Magritte uses these flat planes of blues and pinks, setting up a visual buzz. The texture of the gouache gives it a chalky feel, a rough surface, not trying to hide the hand. That jagged edge where the mermaid’s tail meets the water is such a weird spot, isn't it? It's like he’s saying, "Yeah, it’s paint, it’s fake, but what if it wasn’t?” The mural reminds me of the dreamscapes of Giorgio de Chirico. You can see how artists like Magritte are not trying to give us answers, but to open up a space where things can be multiple things at once.