Confetti Pattern 1973

Robert Goodnough created this ‘Confetti Pattern’ painting using acrylic paint on canvas. The essence of this work lies in its materiality. Goodnough has embraced the inherent properties of acrylic paint to evoke lightness and movement. Each confetti-like shape is carefully rendered, with variations in color contributing to the sense of joyous disarray. The smooth, matte finish of the acrylic contrasts with the rough texture implied by the fragmented forms, creating a tactile tension. The application of paint seems deceptively simple. But, the cumulative effect of each individual mark speaks to the artist’s deliberate process. It also resonates with the tradition of mosaic-making, a technique in which individual pieces combine to create a larger image. This work prompts us to consider the relationship between material, process, and social context in art. It challenges the conventional hierarchies that often prioritize conceptual complexity over the labor and material involved in artistic creation.