Third wheel 1991

Oleg Holosiy made this painting, using rapid brushstrokes, as a visual exploration of interior states of mind. Just look at the urgency of the marks and the way the paint is applied! Holosiy seems to be actively thinking and feeling through the process of painting. He’s got a restricted palette of greys, browns and reds, and the paint looks almost stained, with lots of dripping and blending. I get the sense that the artist let it all spill out onto the canvas. What do you make of the hand holding the gun and the blank stare of the figure on the right? It’s raw. It’s vulnerable. It’s hard to look at, but you also can’t look away. Holosiy reminds me a little of other expressionist painters like Francis Bacon or even some of the German painters from the early 20th century. All these artists are speaking to each other across time, and we are eavesdropping on their conversation.