Madonna In The Grotto 2009

Alexander Roitburd, who sadly passed away in 2021, made this painting called 'Madonna in the Grotto' and it looks like a really curious and imaginative piece. The palette seems pretty earthy, with these almost fleshy pink tones contrasting with the cooler blues of the vase. I imagine Roitburd layering the paint, building up these textures, and maybe even scraping some away. The light seems moody, right? Almost theatrical. It's like he's staging a scene with these characters: a figure, a vase, a wasp and lizard. The wasp feels like it's hovering, buzzing with some kind of manic energy, right above the figure’s head, while the lizard seems poised and alert, like a little observer. You get the sense that he's thinking about the big themes: life, death, beauty, decay, and how they all intertwine. It reminds me of how Philip Guston painted everyday objects, elevating them to something strange and symbolic. Artists are always in conversation with each other, even across time. And painting, it's not just about what you see, but what you feel, what you imagine, and what you bring to it.