Dialogue II 1967

Constantin Flondor made this painting, Dialogue II, with what looks like crayon or maybe oil pastel, it's a piece that hums with quiet energy. I think Flondor really understood that artmaking is a process, and that the marks we make are a record of our thinking. The colours are muted yellows and browns, overlaid with hatched marks and geometrical shapes in black, white, and orange. It's as if we're looking at a kind of architectural drawing, but one that's been filtered through a very personal lens. The lines are scratched into the surface, revealing the layers underneath. I'm particularly drawn to the cluster of black marks, which look a bit like musical notation. It's a simple gesture, but it adds a sense of rhythm to the piece, maybe because, for me, painting is like a form of musical composition. It reminds me a little of the work of Paul Klee, with its playful abstraction and interest in line. But Flondor's painting has its own distinct voice, one that invites us to slow down and contemplate the many possible meanings that can be found in a single artwork.