Target Successfully Bombed 2002

Kristoffer Zetterstrand’s "Target Successfully Bombed" is, well, who knows exactly when it was made, or with what, but it's clear that painting for Zetterstrand is a thoughtful process, an evolving conversation between the canvas and the artist. The painting is a dance of yellows and ochres, a thick impasto surface that feels both ancient and strangely contemporary. Look closely at the lower right corner, and you’ll see a patch of green and white, almost like foliage, with a dollar sign nestled within. It’s a jarring, provocative detail that disrupts the otherwise serene ruin-scape. The brushstrokes are visible, the artist's hand palpable, lending a sense of immediacy and intimacy. The overall effect is one of decay and rebirth, destruction and potential. Zetterstrand's paintings remind me of Giorgio de Chirico's dreamlike cityscapes, but with a sharper, more cynical edge. Art doesn't give us answers, it asks us questions.