Chase 2018

Vincent Xeus painted this horse, “Chase,” with oil. The almost monochrome palette and visible brushstrokes feel immediate and raw, making me think about artmaking as a direct translation of seeing. The texture is smooth but you can tell he’s used a brush and the paint is brushed on with purpose. Look at the horse’s neck, it fades into the light grey background, almost like it’s emerging from the fog or memory. That single, purposeful brushstroke gives a dynamic movement to the whole composition. You get the sense of the animal moving, and you see the artist has really considered the shape and form of the horse. Xeus reminds me of Franz Marc, whose emotionally charged paintings of animals sought to express spiritual truths through the depiction of nature. But, unlike Marc’s bright, expressive colours, Xeus uses a more muted palette, creating a more contemplative, introspective mood. This piece invites us to consider the fluidity between representation and abstraction.