A snow covered village 

Constant Permeke painted "A snow covered village" with oil on canvas, using traditional fine art materials to explore modern life. Permeke's thick, expressive brushstrokes build up a scene of houses hunkered down against the elements. Look closely, and you’ll notice the paint itself seems to have a weight, an almost sculptural presence. There is also a rawness, the brushstrokes are unblended, and the colour palette limited to subdued tones. Permeke was a committed modernist, he associated with the Expressionists, who wanted to represent subjective emotions through painting. He was also interested in the life and labour of working class communities, and the painting offers a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people and their everyday struggles, especially in the face of harsh environmental conditions. It's a world away from the high gloss of consumer culture, and closer to the bone. By engaging with these social issues, and using the material of oil paint, Permeke elevates his scene beyond mere landscape and offers a commentary on society.