Big Mr. and Mrs. Warmth 2020

Lisa Yuskavage made Big Mr. and Mrs. Warmth with oil on linen, bathed in a warm, reddish glow. I can only imagine the careful layering of the paint, a slow building of color and form, like a hazy memory taking shape. I think Yuskavage is a brave painter. It’s like she’s unafraid to embrace the awkward, the vulnerable, and the not-quite-right. The smooth texture almost feels like a dream, where everything is a little bit soft and hazy. She works in a tradition that goes back through Balthus to the Renaissance, but always with a twist. This feels like a conversation with past masters, but spoken in a totally unique voice. Ultimately, painting, like any art form, is about exchange, across time, between artists. Each one responding to and building upon what came before. It's not about perfection but about exploration and discovery, embracing uncertainty and finding new ways of seeing and feeling.