Neophyte’s Joy 2021

Michael Cheval created this painting, "Neophyte’s Joy," which is imbued with surreal and theatrical elements. Cheval was born in 1966, in what was then the Soviet Union, and his art often juxtaposes dreamlike settings with historical allusions. In this work, a young woman in what appears to be eighteenth-century attire is holding bagpipes and a book, while a birdcage sits atop her elaborate hairstyle. The painting evokes a sense of historical pastiche, blending elements that might signify enlightenment, like the globe and the bust of a philosopher, with the romanticized, cultural signifier of the bagpipes. The woman’s engagement with both the book and the musical instrument presents a tension between intellectual pursuits and artistic expression. Does she represent a modern woman engaging with a romanticized past? It’s as if the painting is asking us to consider how we reconcile our identities with our histories. The result is a sense of joyful confusion.