In the north of Baikal 

Editor: This painting is called "In the north of Baikal" by Mikhail Olennikov. It looks like an oil painting. I’m immediately drawn to how the artist has captured the texture of the water and the vastness of the landscape. What do you see in this piece, particularly in relation to the materials and process used? Curator: Well, consider the plein-air technique employed here. Painting outdoors demands a certain type of engagement with the materials, doesn’t it? The artist is battling the elements, time constraints, and the limitations of the oil paint itself to capture a fleeting moment. Think about the materiality of the paint, how it's applied, thick or thin. Does the artist choose certain pigments and binders based on how fast they dry in a Siberian climate? The labor is evident in the brushstrokes. Editor: So, it's not just about what is depicted, but how the act of creating the artwork in that specific environment influences the final product. It's a really interesting concept. What's the labor that comes with producing oil paints and canvases like this? Curator: Precisely! The making of the artwork—the canvas stretched, the paints mixed, the brushes cleaned – these steps often get overlooked. Understanding these production aspects shines a light on the economic structures that enable art making, where do we see ourselves in these scenes? Editor: I never considered how those everyday tasks impact the final piece. It definitely gives me a new appreciation for the entire artistic process, from start to finish. Curator: It shows that this beautiful landscape exists because someone transformed raw materials into a vision, conditioned by environmental realities, for social purposes that may or may not be readily apparent.