The Wound (2024) Original Oil Painting by Victoria Udalova

The Wound
A boy sits on the seashore, completely absorbed by a small wound on his foot. At that moment, neither the vast expanse of the sea nor the bright summer light seems to exist for him. All of his attention is focused on his own body. Childhood has a remarkable ability to transform the smallest injury into an event of enormous importance.

This painting enters into a dialogue with the ancient sculpture Boy Extracting a Thorn (Spinario). More than two thousand years ago, an unknown sculptor depicted a boy who, in exactly the same way, forgot everything around him while trying to remove a tiny thorn from his foot. Eras, clothing, and everyday objects have changed, yet the human body and its vulnerability have remained the same.

Here, however, the ancient motif is transferred into a contemporary context. Instead of bronze, there is open, expressive painting; instead of idealized classical form, there are free, almost neon colour relationships; instead of a timeless monument, there is a fleeting moment on the beach. A pose that has survived for millennia suddenly feels strikingly contemporary.

To create this work, I combined fluid acrylic with oil paint. The interaction of these two materials allowed me to emphasize the contrast between brightly illuminated areas and deep shadows, reinforcing the timelessness of the human body.

Materials used:

acrylic, oil on canvas

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 63 x 63 x 2cm (framed) / 60 x 60cm (actual image size)
• Framed and ready to hang
• Signed certificate of authenticity
• Style: Impressionistic
• Subject: People and portraits