Cubist city 2004

Endre Bartos made this painting, Cubist City, with oil paint, and it feels like he was really working the surface of the canvas. The bright colours seem to be fighting with each other, but somehow they all belong, like a city full of different people and buildings. Looking closely, you can see how Bartos used thick, textured strokes to build up the forms. Each brushstroke is visible, almost like a little sculpture of paint. The colours aren't blended smoothly; instead, they sit next to each other, creating a mosaic effect. See how the violet of the road bumps up against the white of the buildings, those colours vibrate! Bartos reminds me of artists like Marsden Hartley, who used bold colors and simplified shapes to capture the essence of a place. Both artists show us that painting is a process of feeling and seeing, not just copying what's in front of you. It's about finding the joy and energy in the act of making.