Kifissia 1973

Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas made 'Kifissia' with what looks like oil paint in a flurry of marks that suggest a vibrant scene full of nature. I love the way this piece vibrates, it’s all about the layering of these tiny marks. It's like he’s showing us a whole world in a single glance. Look at the way he builds up the texture of the leaves and the buildings; it's so physical, you can almost feel the sun beating down. The buildings and trees are interwoven, a dance of forms and colors, but the brushstrokes, especially those in the sky, are more gestural, more free. The paint is applied with varying degrees of thickness; thin washes in some areas and impasto in others, which creates a sense of depth and movement. It's hard not to see echoes of Cezanne in Ghikas's work, especially in the way he breaks down the landscape into these facets of color. But Ghikas has his own distinct voice. This is a painting that celebrates the joy of seeing. It reminds us that art is not just about representation, it’s about feeling and experiencing the world.