Self Portrait 1960

Valerii Lamakh made this self-portrait, at an unknown date, with a series of brushstrokes that build up to form the face and the surrounding background. It's like he's building the image, one stroke at a time. I'm really drawn to the way Lamakh uses the paint. The surface has this quality, due to the marks layered on top of each other. It's almost as if he's trying to capture a moment, or maybe even an emotion, through the sheer physicality of the medium. Look at the area around the eyes and the way he has represented the hair. Each mark is distinct and purposeful. The way that Lamakh approaches the surface reminds me a little of Klimt, another artist who was interested in the surface, but it could also be compared to the work of Philip Guston, particularly in the way the marks seem to almost build-up into a figurative form. Ultimately, it's all about the conversation between artists across time. It's this exchange of ideas that keeps art fresh and exciting.