Men Turning towards the Sun 1911 - 1914

Edvard Munch made this painting, Men Turning towards the Sun, with oil on canvas. Look at the raw quality of the brushstrokes that have been applied in such a fluid and intuitive manner. The painting seems to have emerged through layering, shifting and evolving through a process of trial, error, and maybe even a little bit of magic. I can almost imagine Munch’s state of mind as he created this piece. Perhaps he felt like these figures, reaching, yearning for warmth and clarity, for some kind of connection with the energy of the sun. See the earthy greens and yellows of the figures in the foreground. The paint is applied in a thin, watery way that gives the figures an ethereal quality. The way Munch uses these blue gestures is also worth paying attention to. I love the way he used directional strokes of colour to convey a sense of movement, as if the figures are being pulled towards the light, in pursuit of something just out of reach. It reminds me of the kinds of conversations painters have with each other across time. The simple gestures and honest marks of an artist like Munch continue to inspire our own creativity.