Crucification 1950

Ernst Fuchs made this crucifixion painting, well, we don’t know when, but it’s a wild ride of colour and line. Fuchs was part of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism, and you can see that fantasy playing out here. The colours are so vibrant, right? That green and purple against the dark background, and the forms have a sinuous, almost slimy quality to them. Look at the torso of the figure on the cross, it's all ribs and hollows, painted with this incredible detail that makes it seem both real and totally alien. The surface is smooth, but there's so much going on within each form that you can almost feel the texture. This isn’t your typical crucifixion scene, but it definitely leaves a mark. It makes me think of some of Frida Kahlo's more surreal works, where she's blending personal pain with these larger-than-life symbols. Art is like that, it's a way of turning our insides out and making something new.