Bombing 1991

Oleg Holosiy made this large-scale painting, Bombing, using earth tones to render a scene of destruction, perhaps in the late 20th century. The painting is like a memory—hazy, indistinct, yet emotionally charged. I imagine Holosiy in his studio, wrestling with the canvas, layering paint to build up the atmosphere of dread. There’s something about that build-up, the sheer physicality of moving paint around, that speaks to me. The way the darker tones blend into the lighter ones, creating a sense of unease, it's all very painterly. I keep thinking about Goya and his Disasters of War. There's a similar rawness and directness in Holosiy's work, a willingness to confront difficult subjects. The emotional honesty and vulnerability remind me of other figurative painters like Marlene Dumas or Luc Tuymans. Like them, Holosiy reminds us that painting can be a way to process complex emotions, to make sense of the world.