The Dormant Tzadik 2010

Alexander Roitburd made this compelling painting, The Dormant Tzadik, with oils and a distinctive approach to mark-making. Look at how he builds up the image from these loose, expressive strokes, almost like he’s sketching with paint. It gives the whole scene a kind of raw, immediate energy. Roitburd is so good at capturing the weight and feel of things. The thickness of the paint adds a tactile quality, making you want to reach out and touch it. Notice the way the light catches the surface, creating highlights and shadows that give the figures volume and presence. Take a look at the sleeping man’s hands, how they are crossed so deliberately across his body. It’s a gesture that speaks volumes about vulnerability and protection. The painting's earthy palette reminds me of Chaim Soutine's portraits, where the subjects seem to emerge from a swirl of emotion and pigment. Roitburd leaves us with questions rather than answers, and embraces the open-endedness of art.