From the Watch 1957

Tahir Salahov made this painting, "From the Watch," with visible brushstrokes that feel so urgent, so expressive. You get the sense that the painting itself is a record of his thinking, his seeing, his feeling. I’m really drawn to the way Salahov handles the figures' clothing – that rough, almost brutal application of paint, capturing the weight and texture. Look at how he builds up the surface, layering strokes of beige, grey, and umber to create a sense of volume and movement. It’s like he’s sculpting with paint, pushing and pulling the medium to create these really solid forms. Then, right next to that, he’ll leave these loose, gestural strokes that dissolve into the background. The way he captures light reflecting off the water is amazing. It reminds me a little of Courbet, that same commitment to realism, that sense of capturing the here and now. And, like Courbet, Salahov isn’t afraid to embrace the ambiguity of painting. He leaves us with questions, rather than answers, and that’s what makes it so compelling.