Figura 1978

This figure by Gustavo Foppiani is made with an earth-toned palette and brooding dark lines that give the painting a graphic yet ancient feel. I imagine Foppiani working on this piece, perhaps starting with a vague idea, then layering and scraping back the paint. Look closely at the texture, the way the brushstrokes create a kind of energy around the figure, like a storm gathering. I love how the figure is set against the hatched background and that odd set of glyphs that form a kind of stage. The palette is a mix of browns and grays, and the brushwork is loose and expressive, creating a sense of movement and depth. The way Foppiani lets the figure emerge from the abstract background reminds me of late de Kooning, but with an outsider twist. This painting is like a little poem, a momentary pause in the ongoing dialogue of art history. We painters, we're all just talking to each other across time.