Black Rationality 1982

Albert Oehlen made this painting, Black Rationality, with loose brushstrokes and a muted palette that feels both chaotic and considered. I can almost see him, brush in hand, attacking the canvas, building up layers of grey, white, and ochre. Those skeletal forms look like they are emerging from the ground. The stark contrasts between light and shadow give the composition its sense of depth. The bones themselves are painted with an almost anatomical precision, yet they seem to float in an undefined space. I can see echoes of artists like Francis Bacon in the distorted figures and unsettling atmosphere. But there is also something distinctly Oehlen about the way he embraces imperfection, allowing drips and smudges to become part of the work. Oehlen is in conversation with painting history. I can see him pushing against the boundaries of abstraction and representation, inviting us to question what it means to make an image in the first place. And, in this sense, he reminds us that painting is as much about the process of discovery as it is about the final product.