Ocean Park #40 1971

Richard Diebenkorn made this large 'Ocean Park #40' painting, and you can see it’s all about how he lays down colors and shapes in a very thoughtful way. He's not trying to hide the process. Look closely, and you'll notice how the paint isn't too thick or thin, but just right. The colors are put on in layers, like he's feeling his way through the painting. There is an unfinished quality to this painting; you see the pencil lines. Notice in the lower right corner, that half circle peeks out from behind the orange block of paint; a playful presence, it feels like an inside joke. I see a conversation happening with artists like Agnes Martin or even Giorgio Morandi in this piece. They all share this idea of finding something new in the simple and familiar, something that goes beyond words. It's about letting the painting be what it wants to be, an open invitation for us to feel and think.