Odalisque 1972

Corneille made this ‘Odalisque’ painting at an unknown date, using a vibrant palette and playful mark-making to create a world that feels both intimate and surreal. I am really drawn to the textures and colors; the surface has this almost raw quality, like you can see the artist working through the process of layering and building up the image. The paint seems applied in confident strokes, not too thick but definitely present, giving the whole composition a tactile feel. Look at the way Corneille uses color to define forms and create depth; the blues and reds push and pull against each other, creating this dynamic tension. Notice the loose, gestural lines, the way the body is outlined with a kind of nervous energy. It reminds me a bit of Dubuffet, maybe, in its kind of joyful crudeness and its embrace of imperfection. Art, at its best, is an ongoing dialogue, a messy and beautiful conversation across time.