Untitled 1998

Rene Bertholo made this untitled painting with what looks like oil on canvas, and it's a trip! The colors are muted, almost like a dream, a mix of blues, pinks, and browns that give it a hazy, surreal quality. You can really see the hand of the artist in the brushstrokes. They're loose and gestural, not trying to hide anything, which is something I always appreciate. Check out the way Bertholo layers the paint, creating this sense of depth and texture. It's like he's building up the image bit by bit, letting each layer peek through. There's this one spot, near the center, where a little brown bird is flying past. It feels like it's bursting out of the painting. This approach reminds me of Francis Picabia. Both artists share this love of experimentation, this willingness to embrace ambiguity and let the work evolve organically. It's a beautiful thing, really.