Composition 1948

Wols, who worked in the mid 20th century, made this oil on canvas. The colours are quite muted, aren't they? A kind of dirty teal, some greys and browns, which makes the small spot of red in the centre really pop. The paint looks thin and washy in places, almost like it's been scrubbed into the canvas, and then elsewhere there are these drippy lines. I’m drawn to the central dark form with it’s scribbled lines, like a trapped energy trying to get out. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's nervous energy, though maybe with a more somber mood. What I like about it is that it’s not trying to be slick or perfect. You get the sense of the artist working through something, embracing the mess and the uncertainty of it all. It feels honest, and like art is an ongoing conversation.