Rhythm 2008

Romul Nutiu made this painting called Rhythm with oil paint, but when, where and on what, I couldn’t tell you for sure! It’s all about how he puts the paint on, in these quick flicks and jabs of color. The way Nutiu works, it’s all process, like the painting is alive and breathing. Look at the surface – thick and juicy in some spots, thin and transparent in others. You can almost see the ghost of previous layers underneath. It's like he’s building up the painting from the inside out. The black swoosh in the middle? That’s where the magic happens for me. It cuts through the chaos, anchoring everything, but also pushing it forward. It’s like a conductor leading an orchestra – a dark and bold mark that ties everything together. This kind of all-over mark making reminds me of some Joan Mitchell paintings; a sort of raw energy and freedom that just bursts off the canvas. Ultimately, it’s up to us to find our own rhythm in the chaos and let the painting speak to us in its own language.