Jawohl und Gomorrah 2001

Daniel Richter made this painting, Jawohl und Gomorrah, with oil paint, pushing the medium to its limits. The way he builds up these layers, it's not just about depiction, it's about a process of discovery. It's a real dance with the materials. Look at the thick impasto, especially around the figures. You can almost feel the physicality of the paint, the way it's been dragged and smeared across the surface. The colors are intense, almost lurid, creating this unsettling atmosphere. See that figure in the lower left corner, seemingly collapsing, it feels like a raw, visceral expression. Richter reminds me of Francis Bacon. Both unafraid to delve into the darker aspects of the human condition. And in the end, that's what keeps me coming back to painting, the endless possibilities, the way it refuses to be pinned down.