as far as the traditional arts go, painting remains my favourite. zsolt bodoni is an example of how masterful strokes can produce and evoke the senses. in this case it is achieved by his quivering images, slightly unfocused, ultimately controlled and composed of different realities. his east block sentiments pervade through a haze of industrialised landscapes to reveal distress and anguish in a different age of war machine. this is not necessarily only a comment on man’s peace-less existence, it brings the torturous past into immediacy and the cold circumstances of the aftermath becomes illuminated in his special half-light. the oppositions of man and war, beauty and decay are blended with fear and trepidation to reveal his own contemplative sadness and latent anger. the art of translating this passion is what makes his work ultimately powerful and mesmerising. i prefer his simpler images that centre around a bitter post war nostalgia and although his progression has been steadily moving towards a more philosophical and mythological search for the origins of conflict, his meteoric rise in collector circles and recent popularity at basel’s volta 10 show has proven the attractiveness of his talent.