Ann-Margret, Playboy 1965

LeRoy Neiman made this image of Ann-Margret for Playboy with paint, probably fairly quickly, but who knows? The red, the pink, the flesh and glamour, it’s all part of a process here, a sort of dance. Neiman’s brushstrokes feel spontaneous, capturing not just the likeness of Ann-Margret, but also something of her energy and allure. The paint is applied in thick, gestural strokes, creating a textured surface that catches the light. In the top left corner, notice how the word "PLAYBOY" seems almost carved out of the red ground, the letters slightly smudged, as if they were always there, waiting to be revealed. It’s almost Warholian in its depiction of celebrity, and yet, Neiman's approach feels distinct. Maybe it’s the sheer joy of painting, the immediacy of the mark-making. It reminds us that art is never fixed, that there are always new ways of seeing, new ways of feeling, if we allow ourselves to be open to them.