Sundown 2013

Aaron Nagel made this painting, 'Sundown,' with oil on canvas, and it’s just really beautiful. Nagel clearly delights in the process of artmaking; the canvas is almost entirely covered in a rich, warm brown. I love how the light from the window falls across the figure. You can see the brushstrokes are thick and deliberate, particularly around the shoulders and chest. This area has a palpable sense of texture. It’s like Nagel is sculpting the figure out of the paint, adding layer upon layer to build up the form. There’s something almost sculptural about the way he’s handled the paint. It reminds me of Jenny Saville, though more contained. Ultimately, this is what I love about painting. It’s not just about the image, but the way the artist manipulates the materials to create something that resonates with us on a deeper level.