Existe 1976

Gerard Fromanger made "Existe" with paint, and with an agenda. This is evident in his approach to laying down colour, which is bold and unapologetic. The clash between the reporters, rendered in grayscale tones, and the vibrant, abstract figure in the right of the frame, is so striking. You can feel the texture of the paint, thick and declarative in some areas, and thin in others, almost like a veil. Look at the way Fromanger uses these angular shapes and bold colours to build form. It's almost like stained glass or the facets of a cut gem. But it's also like a protest, a visual outcry. Like later work by Peter Doig, he invites us to contemplate the scene, encouraging multiple readings and interpretations. Art is not about answers. It's about questions.