Lover's Leap 1985

Abdul Mati Klarwein made this painting, Lover's Leap, without a known date, and he's diving into process here. Look at how he’s built up this landscape, color by color, with those rich reds, earthy browns, and moody blues. The materiality of this piece is really where it’s at. The texture is so important, isn't it? Look at the way the paint creates these craggy, rocky surfaces. The whole thing feels tactile, like you could reach out and actually touch it, climb it. There are these steps carved into the rock face that are intriguing, where do they lead? Klarwein wasn’t interested in realism, but in the process of making, the push and pull of color, and in conjuring a space for contemplation. The conversation in art is ongoing, with nods to surrealists like Yves Tanguy, who messed with perspective and space in similar ways. Art isn’t about answers, right? It’s about opening up possibilities.