After Pablo Picasso 1979

Otto Muehl created this painting, "After Pablo Picasso", with bold colors and gestural strokes. The figure, rendered in fiery reds and yellows, dominates the composition with its dynamic pose against a sky-blue backdrop. Muehl’s raw application of paint disrupts traditional forms, hinting at the influence of both Picasso and the Action Painting movement. The composition challenges conventional representation through its distorted anatomy and vibrant palette. We can see how Muehl utilizes the visual language of expressionism to break down established artistic norms. The painting seems to ask us to consider the act of painting itself, the materiality of the medium, and the artist’s subjective experience. Notice how the figure’s limbs extend beyond the implied boundaries, as if attempting to escape the confines of the canvas. This formal quality enhances the sense of movement and liberation. The interplay between color and form invites us to contemplate the shifting nature of meaning and representation in art.