Sukirah 1977

Felix Labisse painted this blue woman, Sukirah, at some point in his career, we don't know exactly when. The painting unfolds with smooth, almost airbrushed color, which is something, right? I mean, you can sense the maker really relishing the possibilities of paint and the magic of brushstrokes. Looking at her face, it's hard not to get caught up in the contrast between her blue skin and the pink of her lips. Then there's the backdrop, simple and hazy. I'm struck by how the blue of her skin pulls you in, and then her brown eyes bring you right back out again. There is something eerie and unsettling, like Balthus's paintings of young girls, yet something very seductive and charming about the work. It all kind of swirls together into something that feels like a weird dream. And that’s how art can be, right?