David Landau 2008

Frank Auerbach made this oil painting of David Landau sometime around 2008. The colours are kind of muted, and the strokes are thick, as if Auerbach built this painting up layer by layer, action by action. I think that kind of process leaves a trace. There is this real physicality to Auerbach’s painting, especially in those heavy impasto areas that seem to stand proud of the canvas. It makes you want to run your fingers over the surface and feel the texture of each stroke. Look at the way he renders David’s face; the features are almost lost in a flurry of brushstrokes, yet somehow, he manages to capture something essential about the sitter’s presence. You know, the way Auerbach seems to almost destroy the image only to build it back up again reminds me a little of de Kooning. Both of them had this way of working that embraces chance and accident, finding beauty in the unexpected. Anyway, I think this is just one interpretation; ultimately, it's up to each of us to find our own way into the work.