Cin-Zin 1945

Karl Knaths made this painting, Cin-Zin, with what looks like oil on canvas. He’s mostly using yellows, reds, and greens, in a geometric composition. It makes me think about the quiet struggle that goes on when we make a painting. Imagine Knaths in his studio, maybe stepping back, squinting, then leaning in close again, trying out different colors. See how the green brushstrokes kind of vibrate against the red? I can almost feel the artist searching, trying to get it just right. It reminds me that painting is not just about depicting something, but also about the act of building a space for thinking. Maybe this act of creation is what abstract painters are chasing. It's a conversation that has been going on forever, and continues to inspire artists today.