Newfoundland 1937

Wyndham Lewis's painting, Newfoundland, is a whirlpool of activity rendered in greens and browns. I can only imagine what he was thinking as he built up this scene. It’s like he’s thrown us right into the middle of a tempestuous sea, complete with bobbing boats and stoic onlookers. There’s a real push and pull here, the solid geometric forms battling with the fluid, wave-like strokes. I’m particularly drawn to the faces in the crowd – each one a study in composure, rendered with these really simplified features. The textures are quite smooth but the dynamic composition gives it an edge. Lewis was known for his Vorticist leanings, a movement that loved dynamism and machinery. I see that at play here but I am more interested in the expressions of those people than any ism. It’s like he’s caught them in a moment of contemplation amidst the chaos. As painters, we're all just trying to make sense of the world, one brushstroke at a time.