Red Totem (from the Memory Pyramid series) 2010

Romul Nutiu’s, Red Totem is made with paint, sometime during his lifetime - and what a life of painting it was! Look at the reds, blues, and whites, dashed and layered with so much energy that the painting feels like an event, not just a picture. You can almost see Nutiu wrestling with the paint, pushing and pulling it across the surface. The materiality of this piece, especially the thick impasto in areas, gives it a real sense of presence. It's as if the painting is reaching out, inviting you to touch it, to feel the texture and weight of the paint. Check out the top left, where these vertical white stripes sit against a blue background. They don't just sit, they vibrate! And then these hairlines running around the image like thoughts or maps. It makes me think of Guston, but with a folk art twist. Ultimately, Nutiu's painting reminds us that art is a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas and influences across time. It's messy, unpredictable, and full of surprises, just like life itself!