Pickett 2015

Inbal Abergil made this intriguing still life, “Pickett,” with paint on what looks like paper or board, but I'm not sure when. The surface of this picture has a really interesting, chromatic and textural quality; it seems Abergil has built up layers of muted blues and greens to create a distressed, almost aged-looking ground. Against this painterly backdrop, the folded newspaper fragment acts like a little sculpture. I'm drawn to the contrast between the cool, atmospheric blues of the ground, and the warm, textural details of the folded paper. The paper is really architectural - like a tiny house, or an unreal landscape. This interplay between illusion and material reality reminds me a little of Vija Celmins, who also painted humble, everyday objects with incredible detail, and although Abergil’s painting isn’t hyperrealist in the same way, it shares that interest in the quiet beauty of the mundane. It's a reminder that painting doesn't have to shout to be heard; sometimes, the most profound statements are whispered.