The Winter 1993

Viorel Marginean made 'The Winter' with paint, it looks like maybe oils, and an open heart. Look at the way he simplifies and builds up the scene like it's made of soft blocks. The painting is thick with a kind of knowing naivety, a refusal to be slick. I love the small details, the way the red roofs pop against the muted snow, and how the sheep in the foreground become simple shapes grazing, like dark brushstrokes themselves. Check out the odd floating forms near the top – are they clouds, or something else entirely? They’re really goofy looking. They’re like thoughts floating above the landscape. There's a real conversation happening here with artists like Pieter Bruegel, who also captured the lives of ordinary people in detailed landscapes. But Marginean brings his own quirky vision to the canvas, reminding us that art is always about seeing the world anew.