Užupis Angel statue in white

Alt text: White silhouette of an angel on a column against a background of red, orange, and gold drips

Detailed description:

Leidari Dey

Užupis Angel statue in white,

Acrylic on canvas (stretched on stretcher bars, unframed).

24×30 cm, vertical.

Style: Abstract with architectural and figurative elements.

The painting is dominated by warm tones of red, orange, gold, and pink, contrasted with white and small areas of green.

The upper half of the background is filled with dense vertical drips and bands of paint in red, orange, dark purple, and metallic gold. The paint runs downward in uneven streams, forming long vertical lines of varying thickness.

Slightly to the right of the center stands the white silhouette of the Užupis Angel statue, placed on a tall, narrow column. The angel is shown holding a long trumpet that extends diagonally upward to the left. One wing stretches outward to the right. The statue and column are painted thickly in white with visible brush texture.

Across the middle of the background, behind the statue, runs a horizontal band composed of layered rectangular and irregular shapes in light pink, beige, gold, orange, and gray tones.

In the lower-left corner, there is a green, plant-like form with several elongated leaves and multiple small, circular, golden-yellow spots.

The canvas surface shows visible texture and layered brushstrokes throughout.

“Sweetheart. Sweetheart, for the last time. You shouldn't drag home every thing you find pretty.”

The girl stood ankle-deep in a puddle, clutching a filthy, soggy doll to her chest. She just wouldn't leave and go home for lunch. No way, not a chance, forget it — it’s either with her, or without me.

Lord, bless this child, and me too, Grandma thought. Only You know how we’re going to explain this mess to her mother.

She’d been sitting on the bench, watching the child. Rested her eyes for a second — and found her granddaughter dirty as a piglet, a perfectly happy one, though. Well, that’s childhood for you.

After the fifth rinse, the doll began to look like a human. After the seventh — more than human. It turned out to be a plush angel. The muddy mess on its head became soft yarn curls; the sad, sagging bits of cloth on its back were wings. Red crooked slippers, a stiff purple skirt. No blouse: just green, blue, and yellow felt-tip strokes right on the body. It looked like someone had made and dressed the toy, but suddenly got tired, and just drew the rest of the clothes on.

“How could anyone lose a toy like this?” Grandma wondered. “All that clumsy work, but with so much heart.”

How? I’ll tell you how, the girl thought back to her. When you're just trying to survive, you'll crawl any way you can. When you’re heading out for your shift, a fancy outfit is the last thing on your mind — you’re just trying to make it there alive. Some are found in a puddle. Better than a gutter, at least — out of courtesy to Mama. They say these ones are like stray kittens. The most loyal guardian angels there are.