Alicia Wong / Graphics & Sketch Editor

February 20, 2020

Cornell’s Happiest Accidents | “Paint Palette”

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Yerke Abuova - Paint Palette

Yerke Abuova ’20. Paint Palette, 2020. Oil Paint. 24”x 24”

 

Yerke Abuova ’20:

The artwork examines the process of painting and how pigments can be combined to create an image. The painting depicts a glass palette surrounded by the various genres of painting, including portraiture, still life, landscape and abstraction. The palette is floating above a dark tunnel and has a pastel toned background. The blue gloves underneath the palette represent the owner of the palette, the artist. The objects or shapes around the palette were chosen from parts of my past paintings and represent previous artworks that I have made. Painting is an important part of my life, which is why I wanted to dedicate this artwork to the process of painting in general. Oftentimes, when looking at a painting, the viewer only appreciates the final product without crediting the artistic journey; however, the process of mixing colors and textures to create the artwork is an art in itself. A finished painting shows a beautiful product, but a paint palette shows the struggles, mistakes and revelations that were made by the artist in order to make the painting possible. Creating Paint Palette allowed me to question the meaning of painting as well as the relationship between the artist and the material.

Editor’s Review: Brian Lu ’23

I found the painting very complex and intricate, and I really liked the jumble of colors on the palette. I could really see the significance of the process of painting in Paint Palette; although I am unfamiliar with the surrounding artwork from Abouva’s previous pieces, they blend quite seamlessly into the piece. It is almost like they are rising out of the palette, just as beauty rises out of the pain and sweat of the artist, truly conveying the effort that is put into making a piece of art.

 

Brian Lu is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at blu@cornellsun.