Susie Berns Aka. Susan Wolf 1971

Abdul Mati Klarwein painted this image, Susie Berns Aka. Susan Wolf, with what looks like oil paint, in a style that's all about layering and detail. The texture in this piece is amazing, especially in the hair, which feels like a swirling, almost living thing. Klarwein doesn't hide the brushstrokes; you can see how he built up the color, layer by layer, to create this luminous effect. There's a real physicality to the paint, a sense that you could reach out and touch it. Look at the way the hair cascades around the figure, almost enveloping her. It’s like the artist is using this detail as a way of exploring a kind of symbolic protection, or maybe even a form of confinement. Klarwein's work reminds me a bit of some of the psychedelic art from the '60s and '70s, but with a deeper, more personal twist. It's this ongoing conversation between artists, each building on what came before, but always finding their own voice. Ultimately, it's about leaving space for the viewer to bring their own experiences and interpretations to the work.