Soul of the Underground 1959

Jean Dubuffet made this painting, Soul of the Underground, with an earthy palette and a real sense of process, like he was digging into the very substance of the earth. The texture here is key. It’s not just paint, it feels like he’s built up the surface, maybe with sand or plaster, creating this crusty, almost geological landscape. Look closely, you can see the peaks and troughs, the way the light catches on different areas, almost like a relief map. I’m drawn to that cluster of smoother, pinkish forms near the top – they feel like primordial life emerging from the sludge. Dubuffet reminds me a bit of Antoni Tàpies, with his focus on materiality and his almost archaeological approach to painting. Both artists invite us to see the beauty in the raw and the overlooked, reminding us that art isn't just about what we see, but about how we see.