Untitled 1969

This untitled piece was made by Edward Avedisian, though I don't know exactly when or where. It’s a trip through hot and cool color, mostly reds and pinks, with a few blues peeking through like shy guests at a loud party. The colors aren’t laid down to describe something real, but to make something real, a world of pigment and gesture, like the big diagonal slash of red at the right, confident and bold. Avedisian isn't trying to hide the brushwork, but shows the layering, the way one color changes when it sits next to another. It’s the kind of painting that reminds you that color is alive, it breathes and shifts depending on who it’s hanging out with. This feels like Avedisian is speaking to the New York School, maybe even pointing the way forward for someone like Pat Steir. Ultimately, what is so cool about this is that it isn't a statement, but an open question.