Cecil Ct London WC2 (The Refugees) 

R.B. Kitaj created this painting, *Cecil Ct London WC2 (The Refugees)*, using oil paint. It's a traditional material in fine art, yet Kitaj applies it with unusual directness. See how he seems to use the paint almost sculpturally, building up thick layers of impasto? This approach gives the work a raw, immediate quality, as if we're witnessing the act of creation itself. The figures appear almost collaged into the scene, heightening the sense of fragmentation and displacement suggested by the title. Kitaj's painting feels visceral and immediate, a far cry from the polished surfaces of academic painting. By embracing this rough-hewn approach, Kitaj challenges conventional notions of artistic skill. It's an art of direct expression, where the very act of painting becomes a record of thought and feeling. It reminds us that art is not just about technique, but also about the artist's engagement with the world around them.