Composition in Black and Green 

Aurel Cojan created this painting in oil, and it’s titled, Composition in Black and Green. Cojan was a Romanian Jewish artist whose life was profoundly marked by the tumult of the 20th century, including the Holocaust and the rise and fall of communism. Consider this work as a response to those experiences. The vigorous brushstrokes and the tension between the dark, weighty blacks and the hopeful greens can be seen as a visual metaphor for the struggle between despair and resilience. The layered brushstrokes create a sense of depth and complexity, not unlike the intricate layers of historical memory and personal experience. While Cojan’s abstract style departs from traditional representations, it offers an alternative narrative, one that reflects the fractured and often chaotic nature of modern life. Through its emotional intensity, this painting offers a space for reflection on both personal and collective histories. It invites us to contemplate the enduring human capacity to find beauty and hope, even amidst the darkest of times.