Amanda 1981

Mort Künstler’s “Amanda” uses blues, and blacks to create a portrait that's really about mood, a kind of romantic melancholy. It makes me think about artmaking as a process of world-building. The way the paint is applied, in thin layers, almost like a wash, allows the light to play across the surface, giving the painting a luminous quality. Look at the way the fabric of Amanda's dress gathers at the bottom, almost pooling around her feet – the artist uses thin veils of dark color to create a sense of weight and volume. This is not just a painting of a woman; it's a painting of feeling, a story told through texture and tone. Künstler reminds me a little of Edward Hopper, another artist who knew how to use light and shadow to create a sense of unease. Art is an ongoing conversation, always referencing and responding to what came before. It’s about embracing ambiguity, leaving space for the viewer to bring their own experiences and interpretations to the work.