Blue Construction 2002

I'm picturing Alexander Bogen making 'Blue Construction' with oils on canvas. Look at the confident, architectural structure of the blues, fighting against the light, cool blue that surrounds the composition. I can imagine Bogen's process, starting perhaps with a charcoal sketch, then building up layer upon layer of paint, scraping back here, adding there. See how he introduces these slashes of red! They vibrate against the blues like a rogue signal. This guy is cool. It's easy to get lost in the blues, but the painting encourages you to notice the surface, the texture, where the brush has dug in or floated over. For me, it's like he's talking to other painters, asking questions about space and form. These kinds of exchanges are what keep artists going and it keeps painting alive. The conversation never ends.