Head of G.B. 1967

This is Frank Auerbach’s ‘Head of G.B.’, a painting whose monochrome palette invites you into the arena of mark making itself. For Auerbach, like many of us artists, the real subject is the process, that dance between intention and accident. Looking closely, you’ll notice how the painting's surface is built up from layers of thick, expressive strokes, each one a record of a past decision. The paint is so physical, so present. Take the dark slash that cuts across the forehead; it’s not just a line, it’s a gesture, a statement, a challenge to our perception. It’s like Auerbach is saying, "I’m not just showing you a head, I’m showing you how I see, how I struggle, how I make." Auerbach's intensity reminds me of artists like Soutine, who wrestled with the materiality of paint to capture something essential about human experience. But really, he's part of a longer conversation, a lineage of artists who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty in the pursuit of something true. For Auerbach, art isn't about answers, it's about questions and the messy, beautiful process of asking them.