Visual Description and Theme
Figurative Cubism
This substantial, horizontal canvas is executed in a bold, aggressive style of Figurative Cubism. The forms of the five horse heads are intensely fragmented into sharp, angular, and overlapping geometric planes, which eliminates natural realism in favor of conveying raw energy and spirit. The thick application of paint (impasto) gives the work a visceral texture.
Intense Color and Collective Form
-
Palette: The color palette is highly contrasting and non-naturalistic. The horses’ heads are constructed from striking blocks of emerald green, lime green, violet, and deep purple, creating a cool-toned forward presence. This is set against a fiery, flat orange-red background, which pushes the figures dramatically toward the viewer and amplifies the visual tension.
-
Composition: The composition is a tight, compressed close-up, packing the five heads shoulder-to-shoulder across the canvas. This tightness emphasizes their collective strength and unity as a primal force.
-
Expression: The deep shadows and angular lines give the horses a powerful, almost confrontational expression, making the painting a powerful emotional statement about the animals that are central to the nomadic culture.
Theme
“FIVE” is a celebration of the collective strength and essential spirit of the horse. It uses the fractured, high-contrast language of Cubist Expressionism to capture the untamed, dynamic energy that these animals embody in the Mongolian identity.