Mascaron 1990

Oleg Holosiy made this painting, Mascaron, which is 40 by 60 centimeters, with paint. It feels raw, like a quick study, and that makes it interesting to me. The black outline, almost cartoonish, traps this mask of deep red. It's all about process, the doing of it. Look how the paint is put down – thin, almost transparent in places, and then thick and gloppy in others. You can see the brushstrokes, the way Holosiy dragged the paint across the surface, especially in the nose. That vertical stroke is so simple, yet it defines the whole face. It makes me think about how little you need to say a lot. The textures feel crucial, like they are half the story. It's like he is trying to see what he can get away with! I'm reminded of Francis Bacon, that same kind of intensity, the same willingness to push the boundaries of what a face can be. There’s no right way to see it. Art's never really done, it is always in process.