The Clowns 

Tia Peltz made this painting, The Clowns, with oil paint on canvas. Its style combines the influences of European modernism with a playful figuration. Like many artists of her generation, Peltz’s work has been somewhat overlooked in standard art histories. This painting reflects a cultural moment when a wider variety of voices began to enter the established institutions of art. The clowns themselves can be seen as commenting on social roles. Are they subverting those roles, through their exaggerated gestures and expressions? Are they perhaps trapped by them, unable to express themselves fully? The bold colours and distorted forms create a sense of both joy and unease, reflecting the complexities of human interaction. To fully understand paintings like this, we need to do some digging. Archival research, exhibition histories, and biographical studies can help us understand the social conditions that shaped the artist’s vision. In this way, we can start to see art as a reflection of its time.