If there is no Water in the Tap, then Klichko have drunk 2011

Alexander Roitburd painted this portrait, "If there is no Water in the Tap, then Klichko have drunk," with a palette that feels both earthy and electric. The faces emerge from a gray, almost stony background, built up from thick, textured brushstrokes. I find myself drawn to the way Roitburd handles paint here, it’s not about hiding the process, but embracing it. The paint itself is almost a character in the work. Take a look at the figure on the right—notice how the shadow on his face is rendered with these quick, almost scribbled marks. It’s a bold move, and it gives the painting this incredible energy, like the image is still being formed right before your eyes. I'm reminded of Soutine, in the way he rendered raw emotion through the materiality of paint itself. Ultimately, Roitburd reminds us that art is less about perfect representation and more about the messy, beautiful act of creation.