E tu spersa in questi luoghi cosa fai? 1959

Enrico Baj made this painting, called "E tu spersa in questi luoghi cosa fai?" – which translates to 'And you, lost in these places, what are you doing?' – with paint that's built up kind of roughly. There's a tension between this kind of crude, dark figure and the swirling landscape. The paint is really thick down below, like a big pile of impasto, and you can almost feel the brushstrokes. Then, look at how the figure stands on it – so awkward and heavy. It doesn't seem to belong there, or maybe it's just stuck. It reminds me how, sometimes, you just have to push the paint around to see what will happen. I love how Baj lets the material do its thing; it's not too precious. You can sense a connection to artists like Dubuffet, who embraced raw, untamed expression. There's a refusal to be too polished, and that's where the real energy comes from. It’s a reminder that art is about asking questions, not giving answers.