Red Apple and Yellow Apple 1983

Roy Lichtenstein made these 'Red Apple and Yellow Apple' paintings, and immediately, I’m thinking, what a sense of freedom and playfulness! The way he simplifies and exaggerates the forms, it's like he's inviting us to reconsider how we see the world. Lichtenstein's use of bold outlines and flat colours is so iconic. Those Ben-Day dots, though not visible here, are like his signature, right? I can almost see him in his studio, carefully planning each stroke, each colour choice, and bringing such precision and intention to the work. There's a certain kind of joy in embracing the artificial, and Lichtenstein does it with such confidence! I bet he was looking at Cezanne when he did this, but maybe that’s just me! Artists are always in dialogue, riffing off each other's ideas, and pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. For me, painting is about exploration, a constant search for new ways to express what it means to be alive.