Habitat 2013

Andrey Remnev made this ‘Habitat’ painting, and what strikes me right away is how flat everything feels. Like it’s been ironed. There’s this incredible cobalt blue that just sits there, unapologetically flat, right next to the golden yellows. It feels kind of like folk art in its directness, but with a strange elegance, too. Look at the dress and how it has these tiny rabbits that are marching down it! It's like a hidden pattern. The animals layered on top of the noble woman’s gown are odd but make it feel alive! It feels like a secret world, like it’s about to come alive. This piece reminds me of Balthus, who also created worlds that are dreamlike and frozen at the same time. I love the way Remnev embraces a kind of ambiguity here; it doesn’t try to explain itself. Instead, it offers a space to imagine.