Kitchen II 1966

John Bratby, sometime in the mid-20th century, made this painting, Kitchen II, with oil on canvas. Just look at those dominant, gestural marks! I can almost imagine the act of painting itself, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with Bratby, imagining what it might have been like to create this. What was he thinking when he made it? The paint is so thick, the texture so palpable. The way he’s rendered the green door, for example. It’s not just a door; it's a statement. Each stroke communicates feeling, intention, meaning. Bratby’s part of an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time. His work, like all art, embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations. There are no fixed or definitive readings, just an ongoing dialogue.