Babilonie 2007

Enzo Cucchi made this painting, Babilonie, using what looks like gouache or maybe tempera, judging by the matte surface. I get the sense that for Cucchi, art-making is as much about feeling as it is about seeing. Take a look at the upper part of the painting: the diagonal marks in shades of gray and black. They suggest rain, or maybe a waterfall, creating a contrast with the little orange skulls floating above. These marks aren't just descriptive; they're expressive, full of energy. The paint is applied thinly, allowing the texture of the paper to show through, and in some areas, like the skulls, there are thicker impasto strokes. This reminds me of Philip Guston, who also embraced figuration and raw, expressive mark-making. Both artists seem to be searching for something beyond representation, embracing ambiguity and allowing their materials to guide them. In the end, painting becomes a kind of conversation, a dialogue between the artist, the materials, and the world.