Golden mouse 2020

Sergey Piskunov made this painting, Golden Mouse, and it looks like he coaxed this radiant, reflective form from layers of oil on canvas. The act of painting itself becomes a kind of inquiry, I think. I'm struck by the push-pull between the hyperrealism of the surface and the absurdity of a toy covered in what looks like golden foil and black tape. What was Piskunov thinking when he made it? Maybe he, like me, finds beauty in a world filled with imperfect things. I can feel the artist’s hand in the details – the texture, the sheen, the almost tactile quality of the metallic surface. It reminds me a bit of Jeff Koons, but moodier. Artists are always talking to each other, across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. It’s like a big, messy, ongoing conversation. For me painting embodies expression, and embraces ambiguity, allowing for so many interpretations.