Bride 1960

Alla Horska made this expressionistic painting, Bride, with what looks like black and white gouache on paper. I imagine her hand moving quickly, laying down bold strokes, the white paint almost fighting against the black ground. It’s a painting that feels both immediate and considered, like she’s working out an idea in real time, right there on the page. I am struck by the whiteness of the bride figure in the painting. The thick white paint creates a kind of shield or veil, obscuring as much as it reveals. The lines are direct and unforgiving, yet they carry a vulnerability. What was she thinking when she decided to use such stark, contrasting colors? Maybe she was thinking about the contradictions inherent in marriage itself, or the cultural expectations placed on women. Alla Horska's work is an invitation to embrace uncertainty and ambiguity, reminding us that there's always more to discover. I wonder if Agnes Martin ever saw this.