Barbecue 1982

Eric Fischl made this painting titled 'Barbecue' with oils on canvas. The brushstrokes are swift, with these weird color shifts and a general sense of unease that's both intriguing and, let’s say, a bit unsettling. I can almost feel the heat of the sun and the smell of... something burning? Look at the guy holding the flaming object above his head – is he celebrating or warding something off? And what's with the fish in the bowl? Fischl has this way of capturing these awkward, in-between moments, like he caught everyone off guard. There's a lot of strangeness packed in here. Fischl often explores suburbia, its hidden tensions and unspoken desires. It makes me think about other painters who dared to look beneath the surface, like maybe Edward Hopper but with a twist of dark humor. Like all paintings it's a testament to how painting can hold ambiguity and keep us questioning.