In the Pasture 1940 - 1944

Arnold Peter Weisz-Kubínčan made this oil painting, titled 'In the Pasture', with a loaded brush and a real sense of urgency. It’s so clear that he’s not aiming for a photorealistic scene. Instead, he’s chasing after something in the process of laying down these colours. Look at the figure to the left of the canvas. The white paint looks like it's been slathered on, and the way the red paint bleeds around the edges makes the figure seem unstable, or unsure. There’s something vulnerable about that paint handling. It's like the whole scene is about to dissolve back into pure colour. This isn’t slick or polished painting. It reminds me of Soutine, who was all about capturing a raw, emotional energy. Weisz-Kubínčan isn't trying to give us answers, but to embrace the beauty of unresolved questions and the messy, wonderful process of trying to figure things out.