Untitled 2012

Paul du Toit made this untitled painting in 2012, and what hits me first is how the process is right there on the surface. The paint is thick, you can almost feel the way the brush dragged and layered that luscious blue. Look at the top of the painting, the textures in the black really set off that central form, like a window or doorway, with its cool blues and that jolt of bright red. It's almost childlike in its simplicity, yet there is a really sophisticated handling of colour and form. I think of artists like Forrest Bess when I see this kind of intuitive approach, where the act of painting feels like a kind of personal ritual, a direct line to the subconscious. Art isn’t always about answers, it’s often about embracing the questions, the mysteries, and the sheer joy of making.