Explosion of Red on Green 1910

Gerardo Dottori created this painting called Explosion of Red on Green using paint and a brush. The title is a great invitation, because the red really does explode across the surface of the painting, it's like these jagged, star-like forms are pushing their way out from the green. The green itself isn't exactly passive; it's got its own rhythm of dark and light, like a landscape seen through a fractured lens. I'm interested in the way Dottori handles the paint, it's not precise or blended, but it has got a directness to it. You can see each stroke of the brush, which gives the painting a real sense of immediacy and energy. He's not trying to hide the process, but instead celebrating it. It reminds me of Marsden Hartley, they've both got this similar way of making marks which feels really urgent and emotional. Ultimately, this painting is a reminder that art doesn't always have to be about perfect representation, it can be about feeling, and the sheer joy of putting paint on a surface.