Information about the work
Oil on canvas. 86 × 89
The canvas painting Night [Nitch] (oil on canvas, 1984) is characteristic of the artist’s work from the 1980s. The piece paradoxically balances on the boundary between timeless metaphysics and the trendy photorealism of that era, which sought to capture a moment of reality as if more real than existence itself. Metaphysical timelessness is emphasized by a static, balanced composition, dark coloration, the restrained psychological state of the figures, and conventionality and minimalism in the rendering of environment and light. The exquisite chiaroscuro modeling of the figures and the detailed elaboration of precisely selected compositional elements impart a realism to the narrative that verges on photorealism.
Externally unpretentious, the subject of a nighttime conversation among three people outdoors on the shore of a body of water captivates with a magical atmosphere. The juxtaposition of the cold light emanating from the full moon and its reflections on the water with the warm light source directly above the group of people at the table isolates and somewhat teatralizes the scene. The conversation is led by a man shown with his back to the viewer; his emotions are conveyed through active hand gestures. The women in contrasting green and red attire, depicted on the left and right, appear both to be listening attentively to the man and, at the same time, to be deeply immersed in their own thoughts. What this conversation might be about is perhaps not even worth guessing. The range could be incredibly wide: from hypotheses on the structure of the universe to fateful personal decisions. Furthermore, a late-night conversation within a tight-knit circle of people is associated with the traditional, candid discussions about politics and life in the country that took place in the kitchens of that era.
The compositional structure of the genre scene, delicate brushwork, painterly surface featuring glazing techniques, and meticulous modeling of faces and drapery folds refer back to classical European painting. Indeed, this is true: Hordiievets cites Johannes Vermeer—the 17th-century Dutch painter and virtuoso master of genre painting and genre portraiture—as foremost among his favorite artists.
