Carni sopra 2007

Enzo Cucchi made this small oil painting, Carni sopra, at an unknown date with a bold and expressive approach. The way the paint is applied—thick, textured, almost sculptural—tells a story of process, not just depiction. The surface is alive. Look at the landscape of warm yellows and oranges in the foreground and how it's punctuated by these almost cartoonish red skulls. It feels like a fever dream. Then, your eye travels up to the looming black buildings in the mid-ground and further still to the loose strokes of vibrant green in the upper register. The way Cucchi smears and layers the paint evokes a sense of movement and chaos. His approach isn't a million miles away from that of Georg Baselitz, though maybe slightly less cynical. Painting is a conversation, a constant back-and-forth between artists across time. It's about opening up possibilities, not closing them down.