Donau Linz 2021

Gazmend Freitag made this oil on canvas painting called Donau Linz in 2021. It’s a landscape, but more than that, it’s an exploration of the act of seeing. Look at the way the paint is applied, loose and free, capturing the fleeting quality of light on water. The thick brushstrokes of vibrant green in the foreground, become these expressive marks that feel urgent and alive. It’s like Freitag is showing us how he sees, not just what he sees. I’m drawn to the little boat, sitting still near the river bank. It’s a simple shape, but it holds so much weight in the composition, anchoring the scene and inviting us to contemplate the quiet beauty of the moment. It is reminiscent of work by German Expressionists like Emil Nolde, who also used bold colour and expressive brushwork to capture the emotional intensity of the landscape. Like them, Freitag embraces the ambiguity of art, inviting us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the work.