Picking of paddy 

Curator: This work, by Boyukagha Mirzazade, is titled "Picking of Paddy," and it's an oil painting depicting a scene of laborers in the fields. What's your first impression? Editor: It immediately strikes me as laborious. The figures are bent, immersed in water. You can almost feel the weight of the work, the material reality of harvesting. Curator: Absolutely. Mirzazade's work resonates powerfully within a larger dialogue about the role of women in agriculture, particularly within post-Soviet contexts. Their physical posture is a powerful symbol of gendered labor. Editor: It's also interesting how the bowls floating on the water serve a practical purpose—a means of collection—while also creating a visual rhythm across the composition. It makes you think about what these objects are made from. Are they mass-produced? Local craft? Curator: The "naive art" style pushes against traditional hierarchies within art history. This isn't about elevated depictions of idealized labor. It seems Mirzazade seeks to convey something rawer about this shared burden and its effect on these workers. Editor: Precisely, and the expressionistic brushwork adds to that feeling of immediacy and visceral experience. The application of the paint is far from academic and has the appearance of great speed; however, the care and level of details would suggest something quite different. You almost get the sense that you can feel what its like working alongside these figures, within the watery mud. It's incredibly palpable. Curator: I find myself pondering the artist's social positioning, right? Did he belong to the community he depicts? This speaks to representation and the politics of seeing. To create it must mean the means, the materials were accessable to this end, which allows one to question the purpose or motivation that brought about its final form. Editor: It pushes beyond genre painting. Mirzazade really captures a strong message, without resorting to the didactic. Thank you for highlighting these contextual issues, the reality of how labour unfolds materially on this group and community that it represents has certainly given me a better understanding. Curator: My pleasure! It reminds us to stay aware, looking at the power dynamics within visual narratives.