Micro-Painting 1968

Gene Davis made this micro-painting, likely in acrylic or oil, with a very small brush, maybe even a toothpick. I like to think of the artist having the impulse to make a mark on the surface, just a small punctuation, as a way to break up the monochrome. The light brown color could be gesso or primer, a first stage of painting made visible, grounding a bright blue dot at the center. The dot might be a little accident, or maybe it's a gesture, a little surprise. Artists like Davis are in conversation with one another, and with the history of painting itself. I'm reminded of Agnes Martin's subtle and quiet paintings, or even the early abstract marks of Hilma af Klint. Painting doesn't need to be big to be meaningful; it's like a diary entry or a love letter. We can feel the artist's presence in this little gem.