Wild Coast 1983

Victor Puzyrkov made this painting, Wild Coast, with oil paint, and you can really feel the process. It's all about how the paint moves. Puzyrkov's painting is built from the surface. Look at the way the colors dance, especially in the crashing waves. See the thick globs of white paint, how they capture the energy of the water as it smashes against the rocks? Then notice the dark blues and greens underneath, giving depth and a sense of mystery. The surface isn’t smooth; it's bumpy and alive, like the coast itself. The rough texture of the rocks is beautifully juxtaposed by the smoother brushstrokes used for the water. It’s as if you can feel the spray on your face and the solid ground beneath your feet. It reminds me a bit of Courbet, that realness, that devotion to the physical world. But Puzyrkov brings his own sense of poetry to it. You get the idea that art isn't about perfection but about exploring and celebrating the messiness of life.