Asian Vendors in Florence 2013

Timur Akhriev painted ‘Asian Vendors in Florence’ with what looks like oil on canvas. I can imagine Akhriev standing there, observing the scene, trying to capture the light, the colors, and the energy of the vendors. Did he feel like an outsider? It’s as if the painting came into being through layers of shifting and emerging observations. The thick brushstrokes create texture and movement, especially in the colorful textiles, a dazzling array of reds, blues, and oranges. The gestures of the figures communicate a feeling of busy-ness. What I love about painting is that it allows for ambiguity and uncertainty. There are multiple ways of seeing and experiencing the world, and this painting by Akhriev shows how artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring each other's creativity.