Barbara 2015

Gazmend Freitag made this painting, Barbara, with oil on canvas. It’s a generous scene, you know? I am really struck by how the artist approaches the green in the background – it's not just one flat color, but a whole process of layering and building up texture. Then there’s the figure, where you can see Freitag's brushstrokes dancing across the surface, creating a sense of movement and life. The paint is applied with varying degrees of thickness, and I love how the texture is so palpable, like you could reach out and touch it. The skin, and the undergrowth, look so touchable! Look how the figure is placed, reclining in the field, with only a little white swimwear. This reminds me a little of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who was really interested in the human figure in nature, but Freitag brings his own fresh perspective to the subject. Art is just one big conversation across time, isn't it? There's always something new to say.