Grün-Rot 1939

Otto Freundlich made this painting, Grün-Rot, which means Green-Red in German, using oil paint. It's like he's building up the image, one coloured tile at a time. Looking closely, you can almost feel the texture, right? The paint is applied in these distinct strokes, each little patch solid and present. Look at the bottom, these reds, they seem to vibrate outwards. See how Freundlich doesn’t blend much, but lets each colour hit the next one? It’s like they're arguing, or maybe singing, together. The brushwork gives the painting a real physical presence. You can feel that process, like you're watching the artist find the image as he goes. It reminds me of those late Matisse cut outs, where the simplicity of form allows for more complex feeling. It's an ongoing conversation across time. There are no answers here, just more questions.