Pin Stripes 1960

Gene Davis made “Pin Stripes,” we don't know exactly when, but throughout his career, Davis persistently challenged conventional notions of color field painting. Coming of age in the 1950s, he was creating work during a time when Abstract Expressionism was at its peak. Here, Davis opts for the simplicity of stripes to explore how colors interact and create visual rhythms. His interest was in how these colors impacted each other, creating new, vibrant combinations and sensory experiences for the viewer. The lines, thin and closely spaced, invite us to experience the subtlety of color perception. In this work, Davis moves away from the gestural and emotional intensity often associated with his contemporaries, offering instead a more meditative and controlled exploration of color. The artwork challenges the notion of what painting could be, turning it into an act of visual and emotional discovery.