Oak 1934

Wladyslaw Strzeminski made this painting called 'Oak' using what looks like oil on canvas. The earthy palette and layered forms suggest a deep engagement with the natural world, but seen through a very modern lens. I find the most striking aspect of the work is its emphasis on process; the way Strzeminski builds up the image layer by layer. He doesn't try to hide the way these abstract shapes are built up. The black lines squiggle and dance around these warm, earthy forms, creating a playful tension between representation and abstraction. You get a sense of his hand moving across the canvas, feeling out the shapes, and responding to the material. It reminds me of the way Henri Matisse would cut out shapes from colored paper, arranging and rearranging them until he found the right balance. Ultimately, this piece invites us to embrace ambiguity and see the world with fresh eyes.