Nude in Orange and Yellow 1930

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this painting, Nude in Orange and Yellow, using oil on canvas. I see bold strokes and a vivid palette, imagining Kirchner building up the painting in layers, pushing and pulling the figures into existence. I can imagine him working quickly, trying to capture a feeling or a fleeting moment. What was he thinking? What did it feel like to make this picture? The orange figure really vibrates against the cool blues and greens of the background. Look at that expressive outline – it's so raw and immediate, it’s as if he’s carving the space with color. Kirchner's love for raw, unmediated expression reminds me of other painters like Munch and the Fauves, artists who weren't afraid to lay bare their souls on canvas. Painters are always in dialogue, borrowing and riffing off each other's ideas. Kirchner's work encourages me to embrace the messy, imperfect, and unresolved aspects of my own practice.