Exploring the world opened up by a work of art
This week’s showcase:
Wosene Worke Kosrof
“Queen of Words II,” Acrylic on linen, 25″ x 20″, 2017
The world according to Wosene Worke Kosrof is one of non-stop talking. Everything and everyone can’t seem to get enough of the latest gossip of a thousand story tellers that fill the canvas with quixotic tales of curious sex, exotic fashion, impish children, colorful thieves and playful tricksters. They are all drunk on words. Drunk on life. Every last one of them, down to the very last squiggle.
No isolation here. No masks for protection. Everyone is crammed together, on top of one another, clamoring to tell their story. And tell they do. There is no hiding or pretense. Just the truth . . . as they see it and wish to be seen.
And it feels good . . . and oh so right.
I love Wosene’s paintings because they beckon me to fall in love, again and again. The rich, vibrant yet subtle colors that bounce and play off each other are a dance unto themselves. Seemingly endless layers keep pulling me in ever deeper into the storyline that now, I am creating for myself. And haphazard letters suddenly take on meaning and a life all their own.
Ah, the joy of a great painting that opens up endless possibilities, takes you to an artistic precipice and then gently pushes you over the edge.