by Yelena Lev Navtikova

Artwork Description

Confession

48.0 x 48.0 inches

In Confession, two fish surface in the foreground, formed by heavy strokes of brown, ochre, white, and hints of red. Their wide, exposed eyes convey vulnerability and quiet alertness. Behind them, ghostlike fish and drifting eyes dissolve into a layered, turbulent background, evoking water as memory, emotion, and subconscious space. Dripping paint and dense textures create the sensation of peering into a submerged inner world. Earthy tones—rust, cream, and weathered browns—suggest age and timelessness, while the darkened lower register pulls the viewer toward depth and hidden truths. The tactile surface vibrates with movement, as if thought and feeling are constantly shifting beneath the surface. The fish symbolize transformation, spiritual passage, and submerged truth. In Confession, revelation becomes an act of love: the courage to surface, to be seen, and to remain open despite exposure. The two central figures move together through uncertainty, suggesting empathy, connection, and shared vulnerability. Eyes recur throughout the composition, suggesting introspection and witnessing—yet the gaze is not only one of judgment, but also of compassion. The emotional tone is introspective and uneasy, yet tender, framing truth as a human gesture of honesty, care, and love.

Artwork Details

Medium: Painting Acrylic

Genre: Abstract