Dimensions: 90.17 x 110.49 cm
Copyright: Public domain
Henri Martin’s ‘The Bridge of Bastiide-du-Vert’ is, I reckon, made with oil paint, and a whole heap of tiny little brushstrokes. He's built this whole scene – this bridge, the reflections in the water, the buildings behind – from a mosaic of coloured dots. It's so process-driven, y’know? You get the feeling he's really into the act of painting, of building up the image bit by bit. Look at the water under the bridge, where the shadow is cast, those dabs of blues and browns and greens. They’re not blended, but placed next to each other. Up close, it might look like nothing, but from a distance, it shimmers. It’s a real commitment to seeing and showing. The way he breaks down the light and colour reminds me of Seurat, but there's something looser and more impressionistic about Martin's touch. Like he is less interested in scientific precision and more interested in pure joy of mark making. Art’s a conversation, right? A painting can be about showing how we see and feel, and how we pass that on to each other.
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