Untitled c. 1975

This untitled work by Arnulf Rainer is made with paint and photograph on paper, and it's all about disruption. The painting feels like a performance, a kind of agitated intervention into the photographic image. Look closely and you'll see how Rainer uses thick, opaque strokes of black and green paint. These aren't gentle washes; they’re bold, assertive gestures that dominate the surface. The paint streaks across the figure’s face and body, obscuring features and creating a sense of unease. The horizontal swipe across the midsection feels almost violent, like a barrier imposed on the image. Rainer was part of a group called the "Informel" movement, which was all about spontaneous, abstract expression. You can see how he takes an existing image and uses painting to push it into new, uncomfortable territory. It's like he’s asking, "What happens when we confront an image, not to replicate it, but to challenge its very existence?" It's a conversation between control and chaos, and it's up to us to decide what it means.