Woman with a horse 

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to David Burliuk’s oil painting, "Woman with a Horse." The work currently resides in a Private Collection, and the precise date of its creation remains unconfirmed. Editor: Well, my first impression is a visceral cold. The thick impasto really conveys the harshness of what I’m presuming is a winter landscape. It feels brutally honest. Curator: Indeed. The very materiality contributes greatly to the expressive effect, doesn't it? The bold application of oil paint certainly echoes the aesthetics of both Fauvism and Expressionism, specifically the visual tension created by complementary colors. Notice how Burliuk juxtaposes the icy blues and whites of the ground against the fiery reds and oranges of the sky, and reflected in the horse and woman’s attire. Editor: Absolutely. I'm also curious about the conditions of its making. I imagine Burliuk grappling with the heavy pigment in maybe a dimly lit, cold studio space, and what does that contribute to how the paint ends up on the canvas. Look at the labour involved to produce this affect and to transform paint to winter scene. Curator: It’s precisely this crude application that facilitates our experience of this piece. However, let us consider the formal composition more precisely. See how the tilted horizon destabilizes the scene, contributing to the painting’s disorienting atmosphere. The figures, the woman and the horse, are somewhat awkwardly rendered, pushing them further into a symbolic realm, almost primitive. Editor: It reads almost childlike in its seeming disregard for conventional artistic skill; which could speak volumes for Burliuk himself and perhaps his social standing. One questions: Was he a ‘craftsman’, as the painting technique betrays that. What was his financial context? Curator: An interesting perspective to explore in more depth on a different occasion. As we move on to the next artwork, let’s remember how both material handling and formal composition synergize to create a unique viewing experience here. Editor: Right, from an understanding of the labour, tools and process of art making and painting itself; the experience and message behind the artwork starts coming to light.