Composition 1960

Valerii Lamakh made this unnamed composition with paint, and probably some brushes. I can imagine him standing there, maybe in his studio, or perhaps outside – the light seems bright and unafraid. I wonder what it was like for him to make this. Did he know what was going to happen on the page? I somehow doubt it. The painting feels as though it's emerging, shifting through error, and intuition. There’s a real confidence in the application of colour. I can’t help but notice how different the brushstrokes are. There are moments of detail around the edges, and then this kind of confident, almost child-like application of paint. The colour palette is really interesting here, the red, yellow, and blue are fighting for attention on the surface, creating tension in the painting. The thick dark blue line reminds me a little of Matisse, and the playful shapes remind me of Miro. We artists, we are all in conversation, borrowing ideas, and challenging each other's perspectives.