The Tower of Babel 1961

Endre Rozsda made this painting called 'The Tower of Babel', using these frenetic marks, like he was trying to capture some frenzied energy. The colours! It feels like he was wrestling with something. I can imagine Rozsda in his studio, surrounded by canvases, brushes scattered everywhere. Maybe he was feeling a little overwhelmed himself. There is something about the blue marks which seem to push upwards into the red, that feels like a kind of struggle, or striving. The whole surface is worked, the paint thinly applied, almost like a wash, revealing the canvas underneath. It's like he's layering thoughts, memories, and emotions. It reminds me of other artists who wrestled with big themes, like Kiefer, or maybe even Guston in his darker moments. But Rozsda has his own unique voice, full of passion. Ultimately, painting is about that ongoing conversation, isn't it? This constant exchange of ideas across time. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, and there is no one way to feel about the tower, or what it might mean.