Cheerful Ribbons 1978

Burhan Dogancay made this painting, 'Cheerful Ribbons', with ribbons of color floating across the surface. The ribbons are rendered in a palette of black, yellow, red, and purple. Look at how they swoop and dive. I imagine Dogancay relishing in this interplay of colors. There's a beautiful, gestural quality here, full of intention, like calligraphy. The ribbons’ shapes are bold, but the translucent background keeps the painting light. It's like he's dancing on the paper! Perhaps he was also inspired by other painters who made the movement of shapes their subject. Dogancay's practice was rooted in the spirit of experimentation and the exchange of ideas across time. Ultimately, artists teach each other how to think, how to feel, and how to see the world.