A Group of Polish Pilots 1960

Patrick Procktor made "A Group of Polish Pilots" with oil on canvas. Just imagine Procktor working on this painting, shifting between cool blues and warmer browns, each brushstroke building form and narrative. I really sympathize with Procktor here, picturing him in his studio trying to capture not just the likeness of these pilots and their machine, but also a sense of camaraderie and the sheer weight of their responsibility. Look at the brushwork; it's kind of thick in places, creating this great texture that gives the painting a real presence. It's like he's physically building the scene, layer by layer. That one figure, leaning against the plane, has a particularly melancholic feel. I wonder if Procktor was thinking about the anxieties and hopes of these individuals. This piece feels very connected to the tradition of history painting, yet it has a tenderness that feels very modern. It reminds me of how other painters like Alice Neel tried to show the inner lives of their subjects. There's something really special about how artists are always in conversation with each other. Painting isn’t about fixed answers, it’s a way of asking questions and making space for different feelings.