Male head study 1930 - 1935

This ‘Male head study’ was created by Ľudovít Čordák using oil paint, and it’s the kind of piece that gets you thinking about what painting is really doing. The colors are muted, earthy, like he’s pulled them straight from the ground. And the way Čordák applies the paint, it's not about hiding the process. You can see each stroke, each decision he made. There's a rawness to it, especially in the way the light catches the planes of the face and the dark strokes of his coat. Look at the man's left ear, how it almost disappears into the background. It's not quite there, not fully defined, and that's what makes it so interesting. It’s like Čordák is saying, "I'm not trying to trick you into thinking this is real. This is paint, this is a surface, and this is my way of seeing." It reminds me a bit of some of Philip Guston's rougher, more emotional portraits. Both artists seem to embrace the messiness of being human.