Interior 1978

Gregoire Boonzaier made this painting, Interior, and it looks like he built it up with thick oil paint. The colors aren't mixed smoothly; they're kind of chunky and raw, which gives the whole scene a really tactile feel. You can almost feel the surfaces. Check out how he handles the lampshades - these thick strokes of green, red, and gold capture the way light bounces and shifts across the fabric. And see how the colors bleed into each other, creating a sense of warmth and lived-in comfort. There's a certain honesty to the work. Boonzaier’s rough, expressive style reminds me a bit of early Van Gogh, who also used painting to try and capture the intense sensory experience of being in the world. Neither of them is trying to trick you into thinking this is reality. With Boonzaier, like with all art, it's about how we see and feel. It's an invitation to slow down and really look.