Micro-Painting 1968

This Micro-Painting was made by Gene Davis, and well, I don’t know when. But look at how he’s built this whole world with just a few colours and shapes! The surface has this kind of chalky, matte finish that makes you want to reach out and touch it. The colors are quiet, the blue is like a faded sky, and then BAM, there’s this pink circle that pops right out. It's not perfect, it's slightly off center, which gives it a handmade, human feel. There’s something so gutsy about doing something so simple. Davis did a lot of stripe paintings. This feels like a totally different world, but still has his interest in colour. It also makes me think about Agnes Martin, with that same attention to the smallest details. Art, like conversation, unfolds across time, one micro-painting at a time.