Composition 1919

Janos Mattis-Teutsch made this painting, Composition, with oil paint, pushing and pulling the colors to build this image. The approach to mark making is so direct, you get the sense that he’s trying to capture a feeling more than a thing. I love the physicality of the paint here, the way the colors blend together in these swirling shapes. You can almost feel the energy of his brushstrokes. Take a look at the dark green and black areas, they seem to push against the softer pinks and yellows, creating a sense of tension and release. The paint looks thick and juicy, almost like frosting. I can imagine him using a palette knife to really slather it on. Mattis-Teutsch reminds me a bit of Kandinsky, with his focus on abstract forms and spiritual expression. But there's something rawer and more visceral about Mattis-Teutsch's work, as if he's wrestling with something deep inside. Art is about embracing ambiguity and having multiple interpretations, isn't it?