Serenity 1905

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis, who died young, painted "Serenity" using soft, hazy oil paints. I see painting as a process, where the painting is a record of all that I put into it, and here, the artist builds the image with many thin layers of colour, scumbling them together to make a still, almost dreamlike image. The texture in the painting is smooth; brushstrokes are minimal, and colours are blended to produce a soft, atmospheric effect. Look at how the artist represents the mountain, built up from dark, almost black tones, which melt into lighter greens and yellows around the edges. These same colours are reflected in the water. It's like the artist is saying that everything is interconnected, that there is no firm division between things. I'm reminded of the seascapes of Whistler, but whereas his paintings are often about capturing a fleeting moment, Ciurlionis seems more interested in exploring the inner landscape of the mind. For me, "Serenity" is about openness to the ambiguities of art and life.