Prehistoric Figure 1980

Charles Garabedian painted this strange, compelling figure using acrylic, probably on paper. I find the pink of the figure so jarring against the blue ground. The painting feels very fast, Garabedian doesn’t seem to be interested in ‘finish’ here. There's something incredibly awkward about the drawing of the figure, that arm reaching across the picture plane, and the strange little wave patterns on the right. You can really see the hand of the artist, which makes the whole thing feel immediate, like a document of a fleeting thought. I love that you can see the brushstrokes and feel the materiality of the paint. It's not trying to trick you into thinking it’s anything other than paint on a surface. Garabedian always reminds me a bit of Guston; in both artists, you can feel them trying to work something out through their work. This piece feels like a moment in a longer conversation, an ongoing process of enquiry. It reminds us that art doesn’t have to be polished or perfect to be powerful.