Symbols (from the Memory Pyramid series) 2010

Romul Nutiu made this painting, 'Symbols', as part of his Memory Pyramid series. It is all about how we make sense of the world through abstraction. The thick impasto creates a tactile surface, with the buttery paint handling adding a sense of urgency and immediacy. The bright yellow is dominant, but there are also areas of intense blues and reds, creating a dynamic, almost chaotic, visual field. Look at how Nutiu layers the paint, allowing previous marks to peek through, suggesting a history of revisions and adjustments. It’s like he's building up the painting through trial and error. The overall effect is one of energetic exploration, where the act of painting itself becomes a way of thinking through memory. There's a conversation happening here, maybe with someone like de Kooning, about the endless possibilities of paint. The best art leaves room for interpretation, and this one definitely delivers.