Untitled 1943

Jean-Michel Atlan made this 'Untitled' painting with oil, working his way through a palette of browns, blues, greens and yellows, all grounded by those expressive black lines. I imagine Atlan, standing before the canvas, in a dance of creation. I wonder what he was thinking as he laid down those colours? The paint isn’t too thick, more like stains seeping into the canvas, then carved with emphatic lines. Look at the way the black lines curve and intersect—they’re the bones of the painting, giving it structure. The raw brushstrokes evoke a sense of urgency, like Atlan was wrestling with something deep within. You can see how he was inspired by other artists. He must have been looking at folks like Kandinsky and maybe even some of the Surrealists. Artists, we’re always looking at each other, borrowing ideas, having silent conversations across time and space. Ultimately, paintings are all about feelings, and this one? It's like a big, beautiful question mark.