Curtsey 1993

Dmytro Kavsan painted "Curtsey" with what looks like oil on canvas, and I can really see the process. It's right there on the surface. There is something so vulnerable about the figures, almost as if we are seeing into their minds and bodies. Look at the way the sandy beach and cliffs are also used to make up their forms. The color palette is earthy and warm, which gives the whole painting a grounded feel. The paint is applied in thin layers, but I can see the brushstrokes, particularly in the way the cliffs have been rendered. The marks create a sense of texture, adding depth and dimension to the landscape within the figures. It all contributes to a feeling of a place of safety, but also, in contrast, a very un-safe world. This piece reminds me a little of Dorothea Tanning, who also liked to play with surrealism and the idea of the body as landscape. Like all good art, it embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own experiences and perspectives to the table.