Birds 2018

Nick Alm made this painting, “Birds,” in the 21st century, using delicate brushwork and a subtle palette. It's so amazing when an artist makes something that seems simple, but has this depth of emotion. The surface of the painting is so smooth, but it's not slick. You can see the faint texture of the canvas, which gives it this grounded feeling. It's like, even though the subject matter is a bit dreamy, the painting itself is rooted in the physical world. Those little birds, they almost feel like they're escaping off the canvas, they are a flurry of dark marks, and they create a visual rhythm. Like a visual echo of the woman’s solemn gaze, or perhaps even a physical manifestation of her thoughts. I am reminded of Vilhelm Hammershøi. Both artists have this knack for capturing a kind of quiet, interior world. Anyway, I’m not sure what Nick Alm was thinking when he made this, and that's part of what makes it so cool.