Montagne en Haute Provence 1976

Charles Lapicque made this print, Montagne en Haute Provence, using lithography; it's all about colour and line. The palette is so playful and unexpected; it's like he’s not trying to represent the landscape, but to reimagine it. It's a process of pure invention. Lapicque layers these colours in such a way that the landscape becomes a series of abstract shapes. Look at the purple against the yellows. It creates this tension, this visual vibration that makes the piece so dynamic. The black outline, like a comic book, brings a playful edge to a traditional genre. The clouds, for example, are rendered with a casual scribble that is full of life. There is a kind of freedom here, a willingness to let go of conventional representation and embrace the pure joy of painting. It reminds me of Matisse, or even Milton Avery, but with a bolder, more graphic edge. It's like he's saying, "let's not take art too seriously, let's just enjoy the ride."