Baku 1986

Kazuo Shiraga made this painting, Baku, and it feels like an explosion of energy committed to canvas. Look at how the yellow and black paint have been applied, like a dance of thick impasto gestures. It’s not just about depicting something, but about the sheer physicality of making a painting. The texture is key here; it's not smooth or blended but raw and immediate. You can almost feel the artist’s hand—or maybe even his whole body—as he laid down these marks. Notice that dark, almost figurative shape that seems to emerge from the chaos, a focal point pulling us into the piece. It reminds me of some of Joan Mitchell’s more visceral works, where abstraction flirts with figuration, never quite resolving, always alive. Ultimately, Baku is a reminder that art is a conversation, a messy, beautiful dialogue across time and space. It’s about asking questions, not giving answers.