Barbara 1960

Charles Blackman painted "Barbara" with oils on canvas, and you can see the process right there on the surface. The colours are muted, almost washed out, as if they've been sitting in the sun for too long – mostly whites, blues and blacks – but they create a powerful emotional punch. The way he's built up the paint around her hands, smudging and layering it, gives them a restless, almost haunted quality. It’s like he's wrestling with the paint to find the right way to express her vulnerability. The brushstrokes around the figure are soft and blurred, contrasting with the stark lines of her hair, adding a sense of depth and mystery. I'm reminded of Egon Schiele, with his raw, unflinching portrayals of the human form. Both artists aren't afraid to embrace ambiguity. Paintings are never just about one thing, they are places where we can explore different ways of seeing and feeling.