Autumn Motive 1986

Victor Puzyrkov’s “Autumn Motive” is a painterly vision rendered with tangible brushstrokes. The autumnal palette—ochres, yellows, and greens, brushed with cool blues in the sky—feels both observed and felt. It reminds me that making art is about capturing not just what’s out there, but what’s inside us too. The way Puzyrkov lays down paint is key. See how the brushstrokes are visible, almost like a map of his movements? The thick paint gives everything a real sense of texture, like you could reach out and touch the bark of the trees or the rough surface of the little building. Each mark feels deliberate but loose, giving the scene a lively, almost animated quality. Look at how the light catches the water! It’s like he’s saying, "Here’s how I saw it, and here’s how I made it." It reminds me of someone like Courbet, painting the world as he found it, in a way that felt both grounded and revolutionary. What does it remind you of?