Arcades 1997

Albert Bitran made "Arcades" with washes of paint and linear marks that feel both deliberate and spontaneous. I can almost see him, standing there, brush in hand, maybe stepping back to consider where to put that next stroke of crimson or charcoal. It feels like a dialogue, a conversation between the artist and the canvas. There’s this big, juicy form at the top, like a dripping thought bubble, tethered to a nervous system of charcoal lines, and a couple of confident horizon lines that try to contain the chaos. I feel like I can understand Bitran’s moves, almost like looking over his shoulder as he decides where to put that next mark, how much pressure to apply. It makes me think about other painters, how they too must have stood in their studios, wrestling with form and color. Each decision, each stroke, building upon the last in an ongoing exploration, a conversation that spans time and space.