Composition in Blue and Yellow 1995

Alexander Bogen made this painting titled Composition in Blue and Yellow, with no date given, out of what looks like pure guts and instinct. I love the way the colors aren’t shy; they dive right in. Thick strokes of blue and yellow are fighting for space, and then BAM! red slashes come out of nowhere. Check out the lower left, how the yellow almost glows underneath those angry red marks. The painting feels raw, like Bogen didn’t hold anything back. There’s a real physicality to the paint, you can almost feel the energy of the artist, and I get the sense that he was deeply engaged in the process. It reminds me a little of Chaim Soutine, that same kind of emotional intensity, but maybe with a bit more hope mixed in. It’s a painting that asks questions, not one that gives easy answers.