Kirche Im Prerow c. 1911

Alexej von Jawlensky made this painting, Kirche Im Prerow, with what looks like oil paint, and maybe some other stuff mixed in. The first thing you notice is this red church, right? But it’s not just red; it’s got all these other colors swimming in it – greens, blues, blacks. The paint isn’t trying to hide itself. You can see every stroke, every decision. It's like Jawlensky's saying, “Here’s how I see it, take it or leave it!” The window, all black and looming, is almost scarier than the church is welcoming. Now, look at that little patch of green and red in the bottom right corner. It's like a tiny Abstract Expressionist painting all on its own. Jawlensky reminds me a bit of Emil Nolde, both playing with color and form, pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. Like them, he shows us that art is never really finished, it’s always in process, always becoming something else.