The Forge of Vulcan 2011

Alexander Roitburd made this painting, The Forge of Vulcan, with oil on canvas. The painting comes into being through these looping lines and forms that are painted wet-on-wet with a black ground, and some of the objects look like they've emerged from the darkness with the application of paint. I imagine Roitburd as he's making this, just working and reworking. I see him painting these looping, twisting lines, and then smearing it, making some changes, adding to it. There's a dialogue going on, and it gets really interesting as the painting develops its own kind of language. There's a pot in the lower left corner of the composition, the red-browns and oranges contrasting against the velvety darkness. Roitburd uses the texture of the paint to give the pot a weight and form. It's like Roitburd is in conversation with painters of the past, but using a visual language that's all his own.