Neptune 2013

This painting, Neptune, by Dragan Ilić Di Vogo, seems to have emerged from a process of letting go. See how the washes of pink, purple, and white blend and bleed into one another, creating a dreamlike atmosphere? I can imagine the artist, Di Vogo, standing before the canvas, brush in hand, coaxing the form of the horse into being. The paint is applied in thin layers, allowing the surface to breathe. Notice the placement of these planetary shapes that hover around the horse’s head? They give the impression of a mind in motion, like a map of thought and sensation, a dance of inner worlds. I’m reminded of Helen Frankenthaler’s soak-stain technique in the way that the artist uses fluid color to create depth and luminosity. Artists are always looking, learning, and building upon the ideas of those who came before. And just like the planets in this painting, we’re all connected in this vast, ever-expanding universe of art!