Lush 2010

Aaron Nagel made this painting 'Lush' with what looks like oils, and right away you notice the dark, almost severe, color palette against the bare skin. It's easy to imagine him, brush in hand, carefully building up these dark layers, maybe wiping them away, reconsidering, and then adding more, until this enigmatic figure emerges. I can't help but wonder what he was thinking as he was working. Was he trying to capture a certain mood, or maybe explore the contrast between the stark black and the softness of the skin? The paint itself is so smooth and creamy, it almost feels touchable. Look at how the pearls just pop against the dark background, it's so striking. It's got a bit of the old masters, but Nagel’s put his own spin on things. It reminds me of those conversations between artists across time, where we’re all riffing off each other, taking little bits and pieces and making something new. Painting, for me, is just that, a way to express something that words can't quite capture. It's ambiguous and open-ended, and it lets you see the world in a whole new way.