Marina 

Ion Pacea painted this oil on cardboard titled 'Marina'. Born in Romania, Pacea lived through the rise and fall of communism in Eastern Europe. We might consider how his bright, almost fauvist color palette served as a visual escape during a period of political oppression, where free expression was often stifled. 'Marina' radiates with emotive color, but think about the emotional undertones during this period. Does the painting depict a space of freedom, or does it hint at the unobtainable? Perhaps the vivid hues speak to a longing for openness. Pacea himself once said, "Color is life, it is joy." As you reflect on 'Marina,' think about how Pacea uses color to mediate his own experience of his socio-political context.