Room (Space Construction) 1921

Peter Laszlo Peri made this untitled “Room (Space Construction)” piece, likely with oil, and it's a puzzle in ochre, orange, and black. The colours don't blend, they just bump right up against each other, which is the key to getting a painting moving. The painting is mostly flat, matte, but it's not really flat, is it? Look closely at how the orange is brushed around the chair. It's thin in some places, thick in others. The marks aren't hidden. Peri's saying ‘hey, I painted this!’ It's so straightforward. It reminds me of some of the early American modernists like Stuart Davis, but less slick. It’s art as a conversation, a remix. The more I look at this piece, the more questions I have, and I think that's the sign of good art. It doesn't give you answers, it just keeps the dialogue going.