Corte d'Appello 1945

Enrico Donati made this painting, Corte d’Appello, with oil, and I’m struck by how process oriented it is, how it’s all about the act of painting itself. You can really see the hand of the artist in the way the paint is applied, so thin in some areas, so thick in others. Like a conversation, where the paint is built up and scraped away, creating a surface that's alive with texture and depth. The colors too, are so rich and varied, from the deep blues and greens to the bright oranges and yellows. They almost seem to glow from within. I can’t help but think of Yves Tanguy when I look at this work. Both artists were interested in exploring the subconscious, and in creating images that were both strange and beautiful. Art’s just an ongoing conversation, right? Exploring, questioning, and embracing ambiguity.