Rembrandt 2010

Alexander Roitburd made this painting called Rembrandt, using thick oil paint and, it seems, a real sense of play. The original painting is in there, you can see it, but Roitburd isn’t precious with it. He lets the original image be a foundation, something to build upon or, maybe, to rebel against! The surface is thick and textured, you can almost feel the energy of the artist’s hand as he applied each layer. Look at how he lets those bright, almost neon lines dance across the surface, like colorful graffiti on a classical monument. It reminds me of Picabia, who was also not afraid to mix things up, to challenge our expectations of what a painting should be. This painting is not just a copy, it is a conversation. It’s an argument, a love letter, a remix of art history.