L'HORREUR 1989

René Marcil made L'HORREUR with paint, probably in 1989, judging by the signature. The color scheme is stark, almost violent, and the marks are so direct. It feels like the painting happened quickly, in a rush of feeling. Look at the paint itself—it’s not trying to hide anything. The green streaks around the head and the sharp lines cutting across the face. You can see the brushstrokes, how the paint sits on the surface, thick in some spots and almost transparent in others. That single tear, bright red against the ghostly face, it’s so simple, yet so loaded with emotion. This piece reminds me a bit of some of Francis Bacon’s portraits, where the face becomes a landscape of raw emotion. But while Bacon's work is often polished, L'HORREUR feels raw and immediate. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always need to be pretty, it can be a scream too.