The Hulk 2015

Albrecht Behmel created this large, colourful "The Hulk" painting using, it seems, acrylic on canvas. The overall effect is of controlled chaos, like a kaleidoscope of figures making up a larger, powerful whole. I love the way the colours bump up against each other, each little cell outlined with dark paint, creating a mosaic-like effect. Look at the way Behmel uses colour and form to suggest the bulging muscles and fierce energy of the Hulk. I’m drawn to the way Behmel uses the individual figures as a kind of abstract mark-making. Each one is a little world unto itself, yet they all come together to create this iconic image. It reminds me a little of Peter Saul's work, in the way it uses cartoonish imagery and bright colors to create a sense of both humor and unease. Ultimately, this painting is a reminder that art is always a conversation, a way of seeing the world through someone else's eyes and finding new ways to understand ourselves.