Alba 1997

Gunther Forg made this dynamic black and white painting, Alba, using broad strokes and layered gestures. I imagine him standing in front of the canvas, maybe shifting his weight, as he makes each mark. The white lines, like scratches, are laid bare against the dark ground. They feel impulsive, almost frantic. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's nervous energy. You can see how one layer informs the next. The texture builds and invites a touch. The title, Alba, means dawn in Italian, but this isn't a gentle sunrise. It's more like the crack of light that jolts you awake, raw and a little disorienting. It's like Forg is digging through something to find some kind of truth. Painters always speak to each other, don’t you think? They push and pull at each other's ideas across time. Every gesture holds a conversation. It's never just about what you see but also about feeling the energy, the risk, and that conversation.