Black and White

White koi swimming among water lilies and pink lotus-like flowers. A bold diagonal splits the pond into sunlit, pale water and deep black shadow.

The title is literal: the contrast of light and dark is almost graphic. In oil, Polyakov paints the lily pads in soft pearly greens, the fish as graceful white shapes, the flowers as small notes of pink. Calm and elegant, with an Eastern feeling. Koi stand for good luck and perseverance in Japanese tradition.

• Artist: Sergey Polyakov
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Size: 70 × 90 cm (27.6 × 35.4 in), height × width
• Year: 2025
• Original: one of a kind, signed by the artist