Magda Hogh

Expansive geometric fields of color dominate the abstract canvases of Magda Hogh. Though bright and intense, these paintings are not overpowered by such vivid earth tones but retain myriad layers of complexity and subtlety that are a testament to Hogh’s immense skill. Strongly contrasting blues and oranges or yellows, whites and blacks sing out against each other with high dramatic tension - but the stippled brushstrokes and the transparent layers of acrylic make the canvas’ surface shimmer like a heat haze, giving the pieces a real feeling of texture and depth. Despite their apparent geometric rigidity, when one looks more closely one sees that lines are broken or merge into the background, boundaries are smudged and worked into, while colors bleed at their boundaries. The effect, especially where there is high tonal contrast, is one that is unique. It feels as if the paint itself is being relished, the pigment and the action of the brush its own satisfaction.