On the beach 1933 - 1934

Mikuláš Galanda made this painting, On the beach, we don't know exactly when, but it’s a real distillation of form. You know, there’s something so direct about the way the colors are laid down, almost like a poster, but with the charm of handmade imperfection. The slightly off-kilter horizon line, the way the bodies are outlined with this casual, confident line – it all feels so immediate. Look at that single line defining the back of the figure seated on the right, it’s incredible how much information is conveyed with so little. I see a connection to artists like Matisse, who were also interested in flattening space and simplifying form. But Galanda has his own distinct voice, a kind of Eastern European sensibility, perhaps. I love how he embraces ambiguity, inviting us to project our own feelings and experiences onto the scene. Art is always a conversation, right? A back-and-forth between the artist and the viewer.