Woman Sewing 

Alexandru Ciucurencu’s painting presents a woman absorbed in sewing, rendered with thick strokes of oil paint that convey a sense of immediacy. The materiality of paint is crucial here; Ciucurencu’s use of impasto – where the paint is laid on so thickly that it stands out from the surface – creates a tactile quality. The woman is engaged in a traditional domestic craft, an act of making that contrasts with the more industrial processes that were becoming prevalent during the 20th century. The sewing itself is a laborious task, a form of manual work that has historically been associated with women. Ciucurencu elevates this everyday scene through his painterly technique. The texture and weight of the paint contribute to a sense of substance, while the expressive brushwork imbues the scene with a sense of vitality. By focusing on the act of making and the labor involved, Ciucurencu invites us to reconsider the value of craft in a rapidly changing world.