Painting 1980

Eugene Brands made this painting with what looks like oil on canvas, using simple shapes and a limited palette. It’s as if he’s inviting us to witness the very act of creation, laid bare on the canvas. The painting's surface is alive with texture. You can almost feel the push and pull of the brushstrokes. See how the black mass sits heavy at the bottom right, punctuated by a small dab of turquoise that almost feels like a question mark? The colors aren’t blended so much as they bump up against one another, each retaining its own identity. It’s like a conversation happening right there on the canvas. Brands' approach reminds me of Joan Miró, who also embraced spontaneity. This painting is not just a picture, it’s a record of a process, an invitation to embrace ambiguity.