Twilight Time 1979

Alexander Bogen made this oil painting, Twilight Time, probably in 1979. The color palette is quite muted, with browns and ochres dominating, but then you get these little pops of red and orange that give it a bit of a kick. What I like about this piece is how Bogen seems to be building up the surface, really going for it with a thick impasto. You can almost feel the texture; the paint is so built up, especially in the lower half. It’s as if he’s sculpting with the paint. See how the light catches the ridges and valleys? And then, these small but intense spots of orange towards the upper middle. They’re not huge, but they’re so vibrant against the darker tones that they feel really important, like a focal point in the haze. Bogen reminds me of Anselm Kiefer, though maybe with a touch more restraint. Both seem unafraid to pile it on, to create a real, physical presence with their work.