Alla Victorovna Kraschina-Shadov(*1958), Small Box
, 1999. Oil on canvas, 59 cm x 59 cm (image size), 63 cm x 63 cm (frame), monogrammed and dated 1999 on the lower right, also signed, dated, and labeled “Kоробочка” on the reverse.
- Painting in very good condition, frame slightly rubbed and scuffed in places
- Human society -
A whole society of different types is gathered in a makeshift cardboard box, all looking out of the box toward the viewer and into the world. Someone is even peeking through the gap on the left edge. The people of different ages could be a family or just people who happened to meet by chance. It also remains unclear whether they are locked in the house-like box or are covering the front with their hands to shield themselves from the outside world. This is suggested by the needles that appear to have attacked the dwelling. The glasses hanging on the outside seem to be presented to the viewer so that they can see more clearly what is actually going on here. But the glasses are blind and only show the cardboard of the box, which adds to the mystery. A surrealistic thought experiment about human sociability. The deliberately chosen naive style increases the reflexivity by making the scene appear completely natural.
