BUGLER 2016

Babak-Matveev's "Bugler," made in 2014, presents a riotous scene where the paint seems almost sculpted, each color popping with an uncontainable energy. This piece feels like a direct line to the joy of making. The material aspects of "Bugler" are so in-your-face—the thick, almost gloppy textures, the clashing of hyper-saturated colors. Take that blue skirt, for instance. The way the blue isn't just blue, but a whole world of blues, swirling together, creating a surface that feels like it's breathing. It's a gesture, a big, bold declaration that painting is about feeling, about diving headfirst into the messy, unpredictable process. There’s a kinship here with someone like Red Grooms, who also embraced the absurd and the handmade with such gusto. Just as with Grooms' work, it feels like “Bugler” embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations, doesn’t try to tie things up in a neat little bow.