Art Critique
The painter masterfully conveyed the evening far from the state of nature in the desert, with its purity, clarity, tranquility and overflowing emptiness. In this artwork the meeting of a meerkat and a rhino is depicted. These are the two animals much different from one another. They are from the one world; they live on the one hot earth, but at the same time are so distant and dissimilar. Another element of the story is a stone between the two animals, which plays an interesting part in this whole picture.
There are three elements of design. The horizon line comes first – it is below the average line of the picture that gives it monumentality and sustainability. Between the animals the horizon line is softer than at the edges, which gives a more vivid understanding of the plot. Regarding space, the animals are depicted in the foreground. There is a feeling of the missing background; however the stone, which is located slightly behind, should be considered as one. Another element of interest is the paint. The color range of the picture is sustained in noble gray-blue and pearl, colors particularly stressing the time of day. Even the unnatural yellow-brown, ocher color of the foreground is so muted that it becomes cold gray. Rich shades of cool gray color create the impression of wholeness, lyrical restraint and majestic rest. Subtle tonal transitions the artist reached through a carefully chosen palette. The whole picture mainly shows a single dominant color. The local color is not changed by the artist, who uses the difference between colors very skillfully. Transparency of paint layer and the perfect fusion of color give the impression of a watercolor painting.
Despite the elements of minimalism, the picture is full of life due to the principles of art. The first thing catching one’s eye at a first glance is the contrast. Amusing is the usage of animal’s sizes: big rhino and tiny meerkat. One has only to look at the characters of these animals, they are complete opposites: externally and internally. Big rhino has no eyes, despite the fact that he is brave and courageous. A little skittish animal boldly and defiantly looks him in the face. The same principle is seen in their location. They are neither standing beside, nor one by one; they stand against each other. There is an element which smoothes the sharp contrast. It is a stone that stands between them facing the rhino. Dominance is created by contrasting size, positioning, color, style, or shape. Here it can be seen the dominance of the size, namely the fact that a large part of the picture takes a rhinoceros. However it is more important to describe the dominance of color. Picture firmly tightens the cold gray-blue color, which is trying to balance the more pastel shades. Just this predominance of cool colors makes the picture more harmonious. When all of the elements are in agreement, design is considered unified. No individual part is viewed as more important than the whole design. This is one of the basic principles of art. All of the details have to balance the composition.
The composition is solved surprisingly well, there is nothing superfluous. And it cannot be said that someone or something is more important. The artist lovely beats the harmony of animals aligning their rights. This means that if the animal is larger in size, he deprived it of an element that is very important (eyes in this case). Balance is a state of equalized tension and equilibrium, which may not always be calm. Despite the dominance of cold tones, the artist balanced them well with little warm shifts. The horizon line is visible quite clearly, and by the rather hectic animals colors received a good harmonious balance.
Indestructible, all-consuming, burning desert is observed due to the colors selected greatly. Drawn rhino and meerkat cause a dualistic feeling. On the one hand there are harmony and peace: two creatures, big and small, have encountered among the absolute emptiness, but no hostility, no negative emotions, full of peace. On the other hand the absence of rhino’s eyes indicates complete lack of interest to anything that is below its head. There is a strange object in-between, more in the background. Perhaps this is the image of the walls, the barriers between the mutual understandings of two different creatures. Perhaps the author specifically pushed it into the background to draw attention to the little meerkat looking at the rhino with interest.
The artist wanted to convey through art fleeting impressions, richness of color, psychological nuance, agility and variability of the world’s atmosphere. This cheerful perception of the world is inherent for impressionism. That is why one can look in the eyes of the meerkat, but can’t see the eyes of the rhino. In this picture dry air is felt, heated by the earth and the warmth that so ably convey the artists in this direction.
The image of a rhinoceros looks more like a silhouette than the figure in detail. Picture comes to clear understanding due to a well-chosen range of shadow. In addition to this the lonely spot clearly standing out is observed and it may seem odd at first glance. It seems like a bird sits on a rhino’s horn. Despite the fact that it stands out, it creates a greater harmony of the painting being an integral part of the plot. Besides, there is a feeling that at this point the picture breaks, trying to release all the emotions in the world.
The picture is appreciated by the auditory as it touches the inside emotions. The artwork provokes thoughts, evokes sadness and hope at the same time. Faceless rhino may look sad. The direction of its look is unknown and the reason for his head down can be anything up to the personal reasons of an animal. At the same time, a small sprightly meerkat provokes joy and inspiration.
The picture is quite successful however in a modern world it is difficult to surprise someone. It already exist a set of directions and genres of art. The artist matched colors well. Due to the shadows on the body of a rhinoceros and on the sand there is a feeling that the characters come to life and want to get off the canvas. Despite the fact that the picture is simply executed, it bewitches the views and interests. The artist was able to paint a picture amusing in its simplicity and sense. Despite it does not open its sense to anyone. However looking at this picture, one can see something of one’s own: either a beast in a hot desert, or the whole society.