Cubist Composition 1920

Georges Valmier made this Cubist Composition with paint, but from when, we don't know exactly! It’s a puzzle, right? Like, what are we even looking at? But isn’t that the fun of it? I’m drawn to the shapes – the cool blues and greens against the warmer yellows and pinks. It’s like Valmier is building something, piece by piece. Artmaking, for me, is often the same, this stacking of colours and forms. I love how flat everything feels, yet the colours create depth. There's no blending or shading. The painting's surface is smooth, and the edges are hard. It's all just laid down, one next to the other. Look at the little dark triangles near the bottom left. It's the only textural mark in the piece. What are they for? Teeth? A zipper? Valmier's play with form and colour reminds me a little of Juan Gris, who was doing similar things. Maybe Valmier was thinking about Gris. It's like they were having a conversation. And here we are, listening in. Art is never really "finished," anyway. It keeps changing as we change.