Untitled 1930

This untitled painting, by Jules Perahim, uses oil paint on canvas to evoke a scene of contemplation by the sea. Perahim’s choice of oil paint is significant. It allows for a layering of textures, and its slow drying time allows for blending and subtle transitions. The painting is worked thinly in some areas, allowing the canvas texture to show through, while other areas have thicker applications that catch the light. This choice of material influences how the painting reads, lending an ethereal quality to the human figures. The process of oil painting is an established tradition within the history of fine art. It speaks to notions of labor, skill, and the artist's hand. Yet, here, Perahim uses this traditional medium to create a sense of displacement, as though the figures are lost in a dreamscape. By drawing our attention to materials and processes, we can see how this work questions the very nature of art itself.