Untitled 1971

This untitled painting was made with oil on canvas by Zdzislaw Beksinski, though we don’t know exactly when. The browns and ochres create a scene that feels apocalyptic, somewhere between earth and hell, where the sky seems to be smoldering. Up close, you can see how the paint is built up in layers, with dark washes underneath and then lighter tones dragged across the surface. It’s like he’s sculpting the image as much as painting it, creating all this texture that gives the work a visceral, almost repulsive quality. Look at the skulls in the foreground, each one meticulously rendered, yet dissolving into the overall morass of decay. They evoke Hieronymus Bosch, don’t they? Beksinski’s work can be pretty bleak, but it's also a reminder of our own mortality. His paintings invite us to confront the uncomfortable truths about life, death, and what might lie beyond. They remain open, refusing to offer any easy answers, but inviting us to bring our own interpretations and feelings to the canvas.