METAMORPHOSIS IV 1997

Rashid Al Khalifa made this painting, Metamorphosis IV, with paint and canvas, though when exactly is less clear; it feels wonderfully out of time. Looking at this work, I’m struck by how Al Khalifa lets the painting breathe. The brushstrokes are visible, thick in some places, thinner in others, and the colours are layered in a way that feels both intentional and spontaneous. It’s like watching a dance, where you can see the artist figuring things out as they go. The ochre and brown forms on the left feel solid, grounded, while the brighter yellows and blues on the right seem to dissolve into the background. Look at how those little circles of paint have been added, like beads. This painting makes me think of Guston, in the way Al Khalifa embraces imperfection and process, inviting us to see the messy, beautiful reality of artmaking. There’s something deeply honest and vulnerable in that, a willingness to let go of control and let the painting become what it needs to be.