Alone at night 2001

Volodymyr Loboda made this painting, Alone at Night, with oil on canvas. The way he's layered the paint shows that artmaking is about working through an idea, not just illustrating it. Loboda lets the materials lead. The color palette is striking, all blues and reds, with little pops of yellow that almost vibrate off the canvas. The paint is applied in short, choppy strokes, particularly noticeable in the background and the figure's flesh. It's almost sculptural. Look closely at the face – how a daub of paint becomes an eye, a mouth. It’s a reminder that paintings are made, not born. This piece makes me think a little of Matisse, who was interested in the sensuous qualities of color and pattern. But here, there's a rawness that’s all Loboda. It's like he's saying, "Here's a feeling, not a finished thought," and that's what makes it so powerful.