Mind Games 2021

"Mind Games" is a painting made by Martine Johanna sometime in the 20th century. The way she uses color here, these gentle gradients, feels so natural and intuitive. Like the painting grew organically, rather than being forced into existence. Look at the skin tones, how they shift from warm peach to cool lavender! It's like she's not just painting skin, but painting emotion, the way feelings can color our perceptions. The paint application looks so smooth, but I bet if you got up close, you'd see tiny variations, little ridges and valleys that catch the light. It’s probably oil, but who knows. Check out how the background bleeds and fades, like a dream. It reminds me of a Cy Twombly, but softer, more feminine. Like she's inviting us into a space of vulnerability and introspection, where the mind plays its games, and emotions run wild.