Site to the man sitting 1974

Jean Dubuffet made this painting, Site to the man sitting, with graphic black lines, plus red and blue, making a very strong image. The thing with Dubuffet is his process is all about raw expression, like a kid scribbling on a wall, but with a sophisticated take on art history. The paint is flat and graphic, not much texture, but it's all about the shapes and how they butt up against each other. It's like he's building a world out of puzzle pieces. Look at how the man's face is formed with just a few lines, but it's so expressive, then scan outwards. The whole painting is full of smaller shapes making a mass, like you're trying to see into a crowd. Dubuffet reminds me of Picasso, in that he's always pushing the boundaries of what a painting can be. And like Picasso, he's not afraid to be a little weird, and a little messy. That's what makes him so exciting to look at. It isn't about perfection, it's about the energy.