Calf 1927

Bertalan Pór made this painting, called ‘Calf’, with what looks like big, clunky brushes, and maybe even his hands! I like how Pór uses such a limited colour palette – moody blues, yellows, browns and blacks – to describe these animals in such an expressive, almost childlike way. It's all about the feel of the thing, not necessarily what it looks like "in real life". The paint is laid on thick and juicy, creating a lovely, tactile surface. Take the yellow field in the foreground, for example, with its energetic, almost frenzied brushstrokes. You can practically feel the artist’s hand moving across the canvas. It’s like Pór is asking us to engage with the physicality of the paint itself, to see it as a living, breathing thing. Thinking about the way Pór used paint makes me think about Van Gogh, another artist who wasn't afraid to get messy and emotional with his materials. Both artists remind us that art is an ongoing conversation. It doesn’t need to have all the answers; it just needs to keep asking questions!