Sarda I 2001

Gotthard Graubner made *Sarda I* with what looks like swathes of oil paint in diffused pink, orange and crimson shades. Imagine him in the studio mixing the pigment to get that perfect, almost saccharine hue, layering it on, maybe stepping back, squinting, and then going back in with the brush. There's a real sense of searching, a kind of back-and-forth, a conversation between the artist and the canvas. Graubner’s known for these color-field paintings where the color seems to float and vibrate. The paint isn't super thick, but it's definitely there, creating a surface that invites you in. The way the colors blend and bleed into each other reminds me of Rothko, but with a bit more… optimism? Graubner’s work, like all great paintings, reminds us that art isn't just about what you see, but how it makes you feel, and it's all part of this long, ongoing conversation that artists have been having for centuries.