Amorous Dance 1955

Karel Appel made this painting titled 'Amorous Dance' using oil on canvas. The marks are thick and juicy, aren't they? Like he's really going for it, you know? It’s all about the process, the doing, the mess, and the pure physical joy of pushing paint around. Look at the surface, it's almost sculptural. The colors, they're not trying to be polite – reds, blues, yellows – all smushed together. It’s like a brawl, but a beautiful brawl, full of life. See that thick glob of red near the bottom? It's so crude and raw. But then, zoom out, and it's totally necessary for the whole thing to work. Appel reminds me of Asger Jorn, both just throwing themselves into the painting, embracing the chaos. It's a conversation, this painting thing, always has been, always will be.