Raspberry Icicle 1967

Gene Davis made "Raspberry Icicle" using acrylic on canvas, exploring the relationships between color and form. The work is an example of the Washington Color School, an art movement that, during the mid-20th century in the United States, rejected the gestural approach of abstract expressionism in favour of simplified, non-representational forms. The image creates meaning through its composition of vertical stripes of varying colors and widths. Made in an era of significant social and political change, Davis’s work can be seen as a response to the turbulent times. Eschewing overt political commentary, his art, instead, offered a space for contemplation and sensory experience. It also questioned the traditional institutions of art by inviting viewers to engage with painting on a purely visual and emotional level, rather than through narrative or symbolism. To understand the significance of art, we must consider the social and institutional contexts in which it was made.