Still Life with Fish 1946

Endre Balint made this still life with pastel, maybe in his kitchen, who knows? What I see are thick strokes of muted colors—earthy reds and blues with a chalky haze. The pastel feels so immediate, like he was right there, rapidly sketching out his vision. The fish are simply laid out, but they have a weird sort of presence, right? It is like, what would it be like to feel the slick, dead weight of the thing? I love how Balint simplifies form, boiling things down to their essence. The energy in those lines, that blue, it reminds me a little of Morandi—a similar interest in everyday objects, but with a totally different vibe. There's an ongoing conversation between artists across time, and this piece—it's part of that. It's like Balint is saying, "I see you, Morandi, and I'm gonna riff on that.” It's all about taking those ideas and pushing them further. This painting is a reminder of that ever-flowing exchange.