Kitchen II 1966

John Bratby’s “Kitchen II” is a painting, date unknown, likely made with thick oil paint applied with energy. The way he builds up the surface reminds me that artmaking is a process. I’m really drawn to the materiality here – the texture jumps out, especially on that green door. The paint isn’t just describing a door, it *is* a door, layered and worn. It’s not transparent or particularly blended, and you can almost feel the bristles of the brush. Check out the lower right corner where the bag of potatoes sits on the floor. The way Bratby renders that bag, it’s like he’s digging into the very essence of “bagness.” He’s not just painting what he sees, but what he *knows* about bags. Bratby’s work reminds me a little of Fairfield Porter. Like Porter, Bratby finds the extraordinary in the ordinary, elevating everyday scenes to something profound. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be about grand gestures. Sometimes, it's about finding the poetry in a messy kitchen.