Abstract Mask 1979

David Chethlahe Paladin made this painting, Abstract Mask, layering colour and geometric forms with what looks like a gritty texture. I wonder what it was like for him, pushing and pulling these shapes together? I’m curious about the grainy surface, how it catches the light. The work has the feeling of a mask, but also looks a bit like a diagram, doesn't it? I imagine the artist searching for a way to express something hidden and deeply felt. It makes me wonder if he’s looking at art from the past, like Native American art, or if he’s just trying to find his own way of seeing and making. There is this constant conversation happening between artists across time, inspiring each other, riffing off ideas. Painting is this embodied form of expression, where ambiguity and uncertainty are not weaknesses, but open up space for so many different readings.