Untitled 2003

Daniel Richter made this 'Untitled' painting with what looks like diluted oil on canvas. He's got a way of letting the paint run, creating these ghostly figures amidst a jungle of greens and reds. It’s all about the process, isn't it? The way the paint drips and pools tells a story of its own. Up close, you can see how thin and transparent the layers are, almost like watercolor. The brushstrokes are loose and free, suggesting forms without defining them. Take the couple on the left, for example. They're barely there, just hints of color and shape emerging from the foliage. There's a real sense of movement, as if everything is in flux, constantly shifting and changing. Richter's work reminds me a bit of Albert Oehlen, another German painter who isn't afraid to get messy and embrace chance. Both artists seem to be saying that art is about exploration, not perfection, and that sometimes the most interesting things happen when you let go and let the paint do its thing.