Crying Eyes 2007

Enzo Cucchi’s small painting presents us with a cow standing alongside what appears to be a ladder. I’m struck by the way Cucchi has applied paint here—it's loose and kind of haphazard. It makes me think of the freedom you feel when you're just playing around in the studio, not trying to be too precious about the result. The creamy whites and browns layered over the ochre ground, create a sense of depth. And the black lines outlining the cow? So bold, so confident! I wonder what Cucchi was thinking about when he made this. Maybe he was interested in the way a simple image, like a cow, could carry so much weight—cultural, historical, personal. What is this creature looking at? I am very curious about this udders-skull. Artists like Cucchi are always in conversation with each other, picking up ideas and running with them in their own direction. He reminds us that painting is a conversation that never really ends, and that’s what makes it so exciting.