Malarz w pracowni 1936

Sasza Blonder made this painting of an artist in the studio with oil paint, and look at the way he's troweled it on! I can almost smell the linseed. The dominant gestures are these chunky strokes of blues, browns, and reds, which build up not just the figure of the painter, but the whole room. I like to imagine him there, brush in hand, working it out, going back and forth. Was he listening to music? Wondering what to have for dinner? There’s a dialogue going on, and the painting is evidence of that exchange. The objects in the studio feel like friends, keeping him company while he works – the bottles, books, and jars all witness to the creative act. You can almost feel him building up the image, stroke by stroke. Painters are always in conversation with each other, riffing off what came before, isn’t that the truth?