Bride 1960

Alla Horska made this painting, Bride, with what looks like bold strokes of black and white paint. It’s like she’s wrestling with the subject, trying to pin down an image of a bride, but letting the process, the back-and-forth of mark-making, lead the way. Look at how thick the paint is in some areas, almost sculptural, especially in the veil and dress. You can practically feel the weight and texture of the medium. And then notice how the white paint isn't quite opaque. The black bleeds through, creating this shadowy, ghostly effect. It's like Horska is showing us the layers of emotions, anxieties, and maybe even doubts that come with such a loaded symbol as a bride. The whole thing reminds me a bit of early Franz Kline, with that same urgency and raw energy in the brushwork. But here, Horska brings in a personal narrative, a woman’s perspective. It’s like she’s saying that art is always a conversation, a back-and-forth between artists, ideas, and experiences, with no easy answers.