Central Asia

Creative Rationale

Over the Central Asian highlands near the Altai Mountains, where Mongolia meets China and Russia, an extreme low-pressure system drives fierce northwestern winds across the frozen steppe. The brutal cold of 12.2°C creates a palette dominated by icy whites and grays, while the aggressive 9.1 m/s winds manifest as violent diagonal slashes cutting across the composition. The bone-dry 18% humidity and absence of precipitation allow for sharp, dragged marks without dilution, creating the thick impasto effect of de Kooning's most aggressive gestural work.