Leonid Afremov 136 Leonid Afremov (1955-)

The canvas presents a nocturnal urban scene, dominated by vibrant color and textural impasto. Here we observe two figures walking away from the viewer along a rain-slicked street lined with trees. They are sheltered beneath umbrellas, their forms rendered in simplified shapes that suggest rather than define individual features. The composition is framed by dark vertical elements – likely buildings or dense foliage – which create a sense of enclosure and focus attention on the central path.
The most striking element is the intense chromatic palette. Blues, yellows, oranges, and reds are applied in thick, short brushstrokes, creating a shimmering effect that evokes both the reflections on wet pavement and the glow of artificial light. The trees flanking the street are rendered with similarly energetic strokes, their bare branches reaching upwards against the sky, which itself is a swirling vortex of color.
The painting’s subtexts revolve around themes of companionship, urban isolation, and the romanticization of everyday experience. The figures backs are turned to the viewer, suggesting an intimacy or shared purpose that excludes us from their narrative. Their presence in the rain implies resilience and a willingness to persevere through challenging circumstances. The vibrant colors, despite depicting a potentially gloomy scene (rainy night), inject a sense of optimism and beauty into the environment.
The artist’s technique – the heavy impasto and expressive brushwork – contributes significantly to the overall mood. It conveys a feeling of immediacy and emotional intensity, as if the viewer is experiencing the scene firsthand. The deliberate distortion of perspective and simplification of forms further enhance this sense of subjective experience, prioritizing feeling over realistic representation. Ultimately, the work appears to be an exploration of how beauty can be found even in mundane moments within the urban landscape.