Wolves. 

Konstantin Korobov's 'Wolves' is a striking image, made with oil paint on canvas. But the work's material influence on its appearance is far from straightforward. The composition is divided into two contrasting scenes. On the left, a black wolf overlaps with a white wolf; on the right, the colours are inverted. The process of painting such stark tonal contrasts requires meticulous layering and blending. The artist is very aware of the inherent qualities of the paint itself, exploiting its capacity to create smooth surfaces, sharp edges, and subtle gradations. While the subject is traditional, the treatment is not. It can be understood as a commentary on dualism, the idea that everything has an opposite. This resonates with larger questions of labor, politics, and consumption – black versus white, rich versus poor, powerful versus powerless. In this way, Korobov challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.