War of the Worlds 1963

Frank Mason’s War of the Worlds is a painting born from a palette of umber and ochre where forms emerge from the darkness. It’s a reminder that artmaking is as much about excavation as it is about invention. Look at the way Mason uses the materiality of paint to conjure the scene! See how the thick, opaque strokes build up a sense of chaos and drama? The brushwork is so gestural, almost violent. I mean, you can practically feel the force of the artist's hand as he wrestled with the canvas. Notice the alien figure on the right, how it rises from the gloom, rendered with just a few deft strokes? For me, this painting is like a conversation with artists like Goya, who also used dark, moody palettes to depict scenes of war and turmoil. It's a testament to the power of art to grapple with the big questions, even when the answers remain elusive. And isn't that the beauty of it all? The ambiguity, the uncertainty? It's what keeps us coming back for more.