Near Lugano 1982

Martyl Langsdorf made this painting, Near Lugano, without specifying when, and it’s really the layering that grabs me. It feels like a process of building up, then scratching away, of revealing and concealing. The colours, muted browns, greys, and whites, create this very grounded, earthy feel. There's a tension between representation and abstraction, but also a sense of constant movement. Look at how the lines dance across the surface, creating a sense of depth and texture. The paint seems applied in these thin, transparent washes, yet in other areas, like around the mountain, it’s much more opaque. The rhythmic application of strokes, how they follow the contours of the land, it's like the artist is mapping not just a physical place, but also a state of mind. This reminds me of Morandi and his landscapes of bottles, both artists creating worlds within worlds, where the act of seeing becomes an act of knowing. Ultimately, it's about the painting being a space for dialogue, always open, always in process.