Harlequin 1927

Mikuláš Galanda made this 'Harlequin' with what looks like coloured pencils, and that’s interesting right away because we don’t see the gesture in the same way as we might with paint. Instead, it's about accumulation, like tiny marks building up this quiet form. What strikes me is the flatness, the way the colours meet and create shapes, especially in the Harlequin’s teal costume. Look at the density of the hatching strokes and how they create a smooth surface that feels both precise and tender. It’s not trying to trick you into seeing depth, but instead, it kind of gently insists on its own existence as a flat plane, a surface of colour and texture. There’s a stillness about it, a kind of quietness that I think about when looking at the work of someone like Lois Dodd, someone else interested in the magic of ordinary scenes. Ultimately, it embraces ambiguity, and maybe that’s where its strength lies.