Negev 1989

Alexander Bogen made this square oil painting, Negev, with sunny yellows and oranges, and a dash of green. I can imagine Bogen layering each color, letting the painting shift and emerge through intuition. When you look closely, you can almost feel the texture of the canvas, like a topographical map of the artist’s feelings. The paint is thin in some areas, thick in others, where you can see the direction of the brush strokes. The touches of green make the painting vibrate, setting off the yellows and oranges like a chord of musical dissonance. You can see how the painting is in conversation with painters like Rothko and Diebenkorn, especially in the balance of color and form. Ultimately, this painting reminds me that all artists are constantly inspiring each other’s creativity. Each brushstroke is embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and allowing for multiple interpretations.