Riders 1942

Albert Urban pulled this print, Riders, and what a great title, in 1942. It has an interesting color palette of muted greens, yellows, browns, and reds. I can just imagine Urban making this print—what a satisfying process! Layering colors, seeing how they interact and complement each other. Look at how the greens and yellows create a luminous effect, as though the riders are emerging from a dream. I find myself wondering about the riders themselves. Who are they? Where are they going? Perhaps, like Urban himself, they were navigating the complexities and anxieties of wartime. The red on top might be a marker of conflict, and the green evokes a sense of hope. With its layered forms and ambiguous spaces, the painting encourages us to embrace uncertainty and imagine new possibilities. It’s a conversation, like the endless conversations painters have been having for centuries.