Chrome Green 1972

Adolph Gottlieb made this, Chrome Green, and it’s a knockout. I can almost feel Gottlieb, brush in hand, circling the red form, building it up layer by layer. It’s like he’s conjuring something, a sun, an eye, or a portal to another dimension. And below, that turquoise smudge! It's loose, gestural, like a splash or a burst of energy. I wonder what Gottlieb was thinking when he made this? Was he wrestling with form, trying to find a balance between control and chance? The texture is smooth, almost flat, which makes those colors pop even more. It’s like he’s stripping away all the fuss and getting right down to the essence of painting, colour and form. Gottlieb’s work reminds me that painting is a conversation. He’s talking to Rothko, Newman, all those Abstract Expressionists, but he’s also talking to us. I think artists build on each other's ideas, constantly pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. This piece embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own experiences and interpretations. It's about feeling, not just seeing.