Self-portrait 1987

Oleg Holosiy made this self-portrait with oil paint, it's impossible to tell when exactly, but he died very young. The way the figure is built from blocks of umber and pale beige really tells us that painting is a process. The colours are simple, and the brush strokes direct. The paint isn't too thick, but the way it's applied leaves a definite surface. The planes of color create volume, and you can sense Holosiy building up the image, piece by piece. Look at the line that defines the edge of the figure's shoulder and arm. It’s almost straight, and the same width all the way along, giving a flattened effect. It's a great example of how a single, simple gesture can define a form. Holosiy’s paintings share a certain affinity with those of the American painter, Philip Guston, another artist who turned to figuration after a period of abstraction, and who was unafraid to embrace a raw, almost cartoonish style. It’s as if painting is just an ongoing conversation.