Merger 1987

Mark Kostabi made "Merger," with what seems to be oil paint, and a surrealist sensibility. There's this yellow-orange gradient vibe going on with pops of blues and reds. It looks like he's laid down these solid blocks of color, then gently blurred the edges to create this dreamlike effect. I imagine Kostabi, brush in hand, layering on the paint, thinking about power, facelessness, and the strange rituals of the business world. The hats and glasses add a touch of anonymity, like characters in a play. And that handshake – so formal, so devoid of emotion, yet so loaded with meaning. It reminds me a bit of Giorgio de Chirico, that same sense of alienation and mystery. Ultimately, Kostabi's inviting us to question the narratives we're told, to look beneath the surface, and find our own meaning in the chaos. Painting, at its best, is always an invitation to see the world anew.