Dance of the Iele 2010

Romul Nutiu made this painting, Dance of the Iele, with a juicy, expressive approach to mark-making. The whole image is a dance of warm colours, mostly earthy browns, ochres, and yellows. It feels like Nutiu just let loose, trusting the process. Up close, you can see the paint is applied in these long, flowing strokes, thick in some spots, thinner in others, kinda transparent. It’s like watching the brush glide across the surface. I’m especially drawn to the upper left corner, where a few strokes of white and pale yellow create these worm-like forms, standing out against the dark ground. These squiggles feel light and buoyant, like they could float right off the canvas. Thinking about other artists who worked with similar gestural freedom, maybe someone like Joan Mitchell comes to mind, but Nutiu's got his own thing, all his own. Ultimately, this painting is about letting go and embracing the unexpected.