Arabesque 1966

This movie poster for "Arabesque," by Robert McGinnis, uses paint to create a world of high drama. I love how the pink background is so flat it almost feels like another character in the scene. McGinnis plays with transparency. It’s like he’s saying, “I’m not trying to trick you, this is paint, this is flat, but look at the story I can tell.” The textures are so smooth and the blending is so perfect. It’s like he’s challenging the viewer to dive into the fantasy. I’m drawn to the line where her calf muscle meets the boot, it is so precise and elegant, and yet is clearly just a sweeping curve of paint. It reminds me a bit of Alex Katz, who also manages to find so much in so little. Both artists show us that sometimes less really is more. Art should be an invitation, not an instruction manual, right?