Acrobatic Etude 2010

Alexander Roitburd made this painting called ‘Acrobatic Etude’ with oil paint, and when you look at it, you can almost feel the process he went through. The painting is built up with lots of layers. The paint is thick and juicy in places, like around the bowl on top of his head, but also thin and transparent in the shadows. I really like the way he’s used the paint to create a sense of depth and weight. Look at the little line that connects from the figure to his hand. It’s such a simple mark, but it adds so much to the feeling of tension and balance. The way he uses light and shadow gives the painting a dreamlike quality. Roitburd reminds me a bit of Philip Guston, another painter who wasn’t afraid to get messy and explore the darker sides of human experience. But of course Roitburd has his own unique voice. This is a painting that invites you to slow down, look closely, and let your imagination wander.