Blue Apple 2016

Nemanja Vučković made this oil on canvas, called 'Blue Apple', sometime after he was born in 1990. It's a riot of blue and orange, with some yellow and white thrown in for good measure, like he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, and that’s what I look for in a painter. I love how the paint is applied. It’s thick in some places, thin in others, with drips and splatters all over the place, and the way it's divided into four panels gives me a sense of the artist's process, like he's working through something, figuring it out as he goes. Check out the lower right panel, specifically the way the white paint explodes out of the center, all chaotic and energetic. This reminds me a bit of Cy Twombly, but with a brighter, more optimistic palette. Ultimately, it’s a painting that embraces the messiness of life, and I find that really appealing.