Checkmate 1973

Gene Davis made this stripe painting, called Checkmate, with what looks like very thin paint, maybe even watercolor. Look how the color sits on the surface, not really sinking in, but hovering there. I love how the color stripes are so close in tone, like a field of almost-the-same. It's a very delicate balance. Check out the light yellow stripe near the left - the color isn't solid but shifts slightly as you follow the line up and down. And notice how each color seems to be influenced by what’s next to it. Davis's work reminds me a little of Agnes Martin, who was also interested in quiet, subtle variations. Both artists invite us to slow down and really see. And maybe that’s the point, not a final checkmate, but an invitation to look closely and keep the game going.