Fólk í landslagi 1978

Louisa Matthiasdottir made "Fólk í landslagi" using paint, probably oils, laid on with a brush in bold strokes. The colors here are declarative, sort of like Fauvist Matisse. It's all about simplification and almost childlike directness. Like how the sky is blue, and the grass is green; just telling it like it is, but with such strong colors and confident marks. Look how the red of the house anchors the whole scene, set against the cool blues of the water and sky. The paint is laid on pretty thick, especially in the foreground where those two figures are hanging out. It's this one is a little mysterious, and maybe a little ominous? It's that tension between pure joy and something darker that keeps me looking, and reminds me how art is really just an ongoing conversation between feelings, colors, and shapes. Isn't it great?