Lever de soleil 1971

Chaibia Talal made this spirited painting, "Lever de soleil," with oil on canvas. The colours are like a sunrise itself - oranges, reds, yellows, with lavender clouds scudding across the top, all held in thick, dark outlines. You get the sense that she really went for it! You can almost feel her arm moving, figuring things out as she goes, putting down a confident, wobbly line. I imagine her completely absorbed, conjuring up what she sees and feels, unconcerned with technique. The hands in the painting are raised, like a blessing. She's got a naïve style, like she taught herself, and in a way she did. This is her world, her vision. You see echoes of other painters - maybe Matisse's vibrant colours or folk art's directness - but it's uniquely Chaibia. Painting is a conversation, after all; we all learn from each other, riffing on the past while inventing the future.