Landscape with Grey Clouds 1935

Gregoire Boonzaier made this landscape with grey clouds using oil paint. The brushstrokes here are visible, and that's so appealing to me; the artist has allowed the evidence of the making to remain, so we get a sense of the painting as a process. The tones are muted, mostly greens and greys, but there's a definite sense of light, of a world seen through the atmosphere. I really like the way the buildings are painted. See how they seem to emerge out of the landscape? They're not separate from it, they're part of it, and that feels very natural. These shapes are laid down quite thickly. I wonder if Boonzaier was influenced by the Impressionists? There's a similar interest in capturing a fleeting moment, a particular quality of light. But there's also something very grounded and real about this painting; it feels like a place that exists. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, a way of seeing and interpreting the world that is always evolving.