Oriental Woman 1973

Alexander Bogen made this painting, Oriental Woman, with what looks like oil on canvas, and it's all about the joy of applying paint. The palette here is a kind of moody dance of blues, reds, and purples. It's like Bogen was feeling the colors as much as seeing them. There's this gorgeous mix of thin and thick paint layers, especially in the folds of her robe, where you can practically feel the texture. Look at the way the blue strokes are laid down, almost like they’re breathing around the red underneath. It’s not just about depicting a woman; it’s about the sheer pleasure of pushing paint around. The way Bogen simplifies the features, giving her these dark almond eyes and just a hint of a mouth, reminds me a little of Modigliani. Both artists are playing with form and feeling, more interested in the mood than perfect representation. Ultimately, what I love about this painting is how it embraces the messy, intuitive process of art-making. It feels like an ongoing conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist and the canvas.