The Final Approach 1991

John Conrad Berkey made this painting, The Final Approach, with visible brushstrokes in blues, whites, and golds, capturing a vivid scene of a plane landing amidst a storm. Looking at this, I can almost feel the artist wrestling with the painting. There’s a sense of urgency, like trying to capture a fleeting moment. The rain seems to be attacking the plane, yet the landing gear is down, steady and determined. The artist is dealing with contrasts: hope versus fear, control versus chaos. Maybe Berkey was thinking about the anxieties of modern travel, or perhaps he was just really excited by the drama of a stormy night. There’s something cinematic about this, like a still from a suspenseful movie. You can see how other artists, like Turner, might have influenced Berkey's dramatic use of light and atmosphere, but there's also something very contemporary about the subject matter. It makes you realize that artists are always in conversation, responding to each other across time. Painting can be a way of embracing uncertainty, allowing for multiple meanings and interpretations.