Goy-gol 1964

Sattar Bahlulzade made this painting, Goy-gol, using watercolor and gouache, and it really feels like an act of devotion to the landscape. I imagine him outside, quickly trying to capture the light. The way the colors are dabbed and washed across the paper – it’s almost like he’s breathing life into the scene. I see these blues and greens, then these joyous little explosions of red, yellow, and orange on the hillside. I imagine him thinking about how the light hits the water, how the mountains loom in the distance, all while battling the wind or the changing light. There's a connection to the Impressionists here, like Monet or Cézanne, but also something uniquely personal. Bahlulzade is definitely in conversation with them, but he has his own accent, his own way of seeing. The freedom and energy here makes me think that for him, painting isn't about capturing a perfect image, but more about capturing a feeling, an experience. And that’s the kind of conversation I want to be a part of too.