If there is no Water in the Tap. Gelman 2011

Alexander Roitburd painted this portrait, titled "If there is no Water in the Tap. Gelman," using oil on canvas. The sitter is a man wearing traditional Hasidic Jewish dress; note the hat, the sidelocks, and the beard. Roitburd was a Ukrainian artist who often engaged with themes of identity, politics, and social commentary. Considering that, this image could reflect on the complexities of cultural and religious identity in the post-Soviet era, a time when many people reclaimed religious traditions after decades of suppression. The painting style, with its visible brushstrokes and somewhat informal composition, might also suggest a departure from the strict academic portraiture that was favored in earlier periods. To fully understand this work, we'd want to research the specific context of Jewish life in Ukraine during Roitburd's time, as well as the artist's broader body of work and his relationship to the cultural institutions of his day. The meaning of art always depends on these broader contexts.