GRAZING AT THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE 1977

Rashid Al Khalifa made "Grazing at the English Countryside" using loose brushstrokes and a muted palette. The scene sort of emerges from the haze, and you can imagine him building it up, bit by bit, adjusting and responding to what’s already there. I bet Khalifa felt the dampness of the air as he was creating it. He probably stood back, squinting, trying to capture that light. I imagine the sheep were moving targets! You can almost feel the breeze, the way he's dragged those strokes across the surface. There's a push and pull between representation and abstraction. The creamy whites and earthy browns create a dreamy, atmospheric effect. The dark mass of the trees looms above the sheep. It reminds me a bit of Constable, you know, that English landscape tradition, but with a more modern, gestural approach. Khalifa is in conversation with all those painters who've tried to capture the English countryside. Each artist brings their own perspective, their own way of seeing. It is an ongoing exchange of ideas, inspiring each other’s creativity.