Corniche 1987

Boris Vallejo’s ‘Corniche’ from 1987 is a trip! I imagine Boris, brush in hand, conjuring this scene with layers of thin paint. It’s like he’s building a world, stroke by stroke. Looking at this, I think about the possibilities of pulp painting, the way it embraces, in this case, a kind of fantastic realism. The color palette glows with orange hues, like a sunset on an alien world. The texture of the paint is smooth, almost airbrushed, which adds to the dreamlike quality of the piece. I sympathize with Boris, trying to get all that muscle tone just right. He’s really going for it, creating a whole vibe. The woman's gesture, arm raised, speaks to both fear and curiosity. He's in conversation with Frazetta and all those masters of the fantastic. Artists are always riffing off each other, right? It’s an ongoing exchange of ideas. Painting is a form of expression that embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations. There is room for everyone.