Untitled 1990

Here, Yuri Zlotnikov has used what appears to be gouache or watercolor to make a party on paper. The colors shout hello from all corners of the work, and the marks are playful, full of energy. Look at how he uses color to create space, it almost feels like he is mapping out a three dimensional space, but the more you look the more it flattens out again. Notice the contrast between the playful marks in the upper left of the painting and the vertical lines in the center, which feel more controlled and considered. I love the way he lets some of the marks bleed and feather out, embracing the fluidity of the medium. The work calls to mind the art of Paul Klee, sharing an interest in the power of simple, playful marks to create complex visual experiences. Like Klee, Zlotnikov shows us that painting is a conversation, a way of thinking through color, form, and gesture. There's no right or wrong way to interpret this piece, it's more about embracing the ambiguity.