Still Life 1970

This is "Still Life" by Carlos Scliar, painted with oil on canvas. Look at how the geometry locks the scene into place. It’s so formal, but there's something playful, even silly, about it too. I love how Scliar builds the space with these assertive shapes. There’s no fudging here, each form is laid down with such directness. Everything is so matter-of-fact. The artist is not trying to trick you into thinking this is real. The objects are flattened and simplified, like stage props in a Brecht play, or in a painting by Léger. There’s a beautiful tension between the solidity of the objects and the dreaminess of the colours. The yellow of that yolk is just glowing. To me, the painting is like a carefully constructed set, inviting you to project your own narrative onto it. It's a reminder that painting, like life, is an ongoing conversation.