Christ in The Garden of Gethsemeue 1992

Frank Mason made this painting, Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, with oil on canvas. The colours in this piece are moody and the approach to mark making is one of urgency. You can really feel the drama in the way the scene is handled. Look closely at the figure on the right holding a torch. See how Mason uses thick, impasto strokes of red to create the flame, almost like he's sculpting with paint? The texture is so raw and expressive, like the heat itself is leaping off the canvas. Then notice how he contrasts that with the smoother, almost ethereal treatment of Christ. There's a tension there, a push and pull between the earthly and the divine, the chaos and the calm. It reminds me a little of El Greco, someone who was also unafraid to bend the rules of representation to convey a deeper spiritual truth. Ultimately, this piece captures the intensity of the moment with a sensitivity to both the story, and the medium.