Eville 1983

Douglas Abdell made 'Eville' from mixed media – a whole bunch of stuff collaged and painted together on a large, irregularly shaped slab. I imagine him in his studio, wrestling with this thing, adding, scraping, reconsidering. It's kinda raw, you know? The palette is earthy, but there are punctuations of bright colors, pinks, yellows, reds and greens, all fighting for space amidst the browns and beiges. It's like a visual diary, all these different languages and symbols mashed together, a face there, a sign there. Look at that bold red vertical slash. It's so decisive, so full of feeling. I wonder what Abdell was thinking when he made that mark? Maybe it was anger, maybe frustration, maybe joy? Abdell is doing something really special here. He's not afraid to let the messiness of life seep into his work. It's about being present, about embracing the unknown, and about celebrating the act of painting itself. It reminds me of Twombly, except way more punk rock. These artists, they’re all talking to each other across time. It’s a big party, and we’re all invited.