The World 2017

This is Nemanja Vučković’s painting *The World*, made with oil on canvas. Vučković isn’t using esoteric high-tech materials here. Instead, the artist opts for conventional fine art materials. The painting's frenetic energy is really striking, and the artist builds up layers of color through gestural brushstrokes. You can almost feel his hand moving across the canvas. The swirling forms, especially those reddish vortexes, seem almost alive. Oil paint has a particular quality of blending and layering that lends itself well to this kind of exploration. It allows the artist to come back to an area repeatedly, building up texture and depth. The drips and splashes aren't accidental; they're part of the language of the painting. Vučković is very present in the act of making. It’s a reminder that all art, even something as seemingly spontaneous as this, comes from a place of craft and intention. It challenges us to consider the labor and skill involved in the art-making process.