Vase with red and yellow flowers 1965

David Burliuk made this painting, Vase with red and yellow flowers, with bright colours and gestural marks, like he was throwing paint onto the canvas, letting the image emerge from the chaos. I can almost feel the artist's hand moving, layering, mixing, and smearing the paints to create a sense of depth and vibrancy. Did he throw the paint at the canvas, stand back and then rework it? The red and yellow flowers burst forth with energy, contrasting with the muted tones of the vase and background. The overall effect is playful, maybe even a little chaotic. It reminds me a little of Van Gogh’s flower paintings, but it also speaks to a very personal, intuitive way of seeing and representing the world. Artists are constantly riffing off of one another and their surroundings. Painting embodies this ambiguity and invites us to see with fresh eyes.