#04079 Mohammad Arifin

The painting presents a portrait study, executed with a visible impasto technique and a vibrant, somewhat dissonant color palette. Here we see a figure, presumably female, occupying nearly the entire frame. The composition is tightly cropped, focusing intently on her face and upper torso.
Her gaze is direct and unsettling; it meets the viewer’s with an intensity that suggests introspection or perhaps even vulnerability. The eyes are rendered with a stark clarity against the surrounding textured background, drawing immediate attention. A subtle asymmetry in their placement contributes to the overall feeling of unease.
The artist employed a limited range of colors – predominantly greens, yellows, reds, and blues – but applied them in an unconventional manner. These hues are not blended smoothly; instead, they exist side-by-side, creating a visual friction that prevents any sense of harmony or tranquility. The skin tones are rendered with broad strokes of ochre and brown, overlaid with patches of green and blue, which disrupt the expected representation of flesh. This technique lends an almost mask-like quality to her face, suggesting a constructed identity rather than a natural portrayal.
The figure’s hair is depicted as a chaotic mass of brushstrokes in varying shades of green and white, further contributing to the sense of emotional turbulence. Her lips are painted with a bold, crimson red, providing a striking contrast against the muted tones of her skin and clothing. The hand partially obscures the lower portion of her face, adding an element of concealment or protection.
The background is similarly textured, lacking any discernible spatial depth. This flatness reinforces the focus on the figure’s emotional state rather than her physical environment. The signature in the bottom right corner, along with the date (2005), provides a temporal anchor for the work.
Subtly, the painting conveys an impression of psychological complexity and perhaps even suppressed emotion. The deliberate distortion of form and color suggests a desire to explore inner states rather than simply depict outward appearances. It is possible that the artist intended to portray a sense of alienation or isolation through this unconventional rendering of a human subject.