There is a politeness in criticism that pretends attention is a temperament rather than an hour of someone’s life. I stood in front of a study of a kitchen wall for longer than the wall, strictly speaking, required. The paint had been mixed to match a shadow, and the shadow had moved while the painter worked, so the colour was a compromise with time. I want to say that this lingering was a method. It was also a choice not to take another job that afternoon. Slow looking is often described as a virtue. It is also a cost. If I am going to praise a picture for asking me to stay, I should admit that staying was something I could afford that week, and that the person who made the picture may not have been paid for the same patience.#
This is an excerpt. The complete piece is in the print and digital edition of Issue 04.