White Flip 1974

Curator: Jack Bush, who lived from 1909 to 1977, created this abstract work, "White Flip", now held at the Tate. It's an intriguing piece, isn't it? Editor: My first thought? Playful! The colors are so buoyant against that hazy green background, and the composition feels almost like a deconstructed totem. Curator: Totem is a good word. Bush was deeply engaged with the idea of primal forms. Notice how the bold blocks of colour—red, yellow, green, purple—seem stacked, almost ritualistic. Editor: And then that broad stroke of white at the top! It disrupts the order, maybe even suggests a release. I wonder about its psychological impact. White often symbolizes purity or a blank slate... Curator: Perhaps an invitation to interpret, to project our own stories onto the image? Bush, as an artist, often talked about wanting to create art that felt intuitively right, not necessarily intellectually decipherable. Editor: So, rather than searching for a specific meaning, we're invited to feel it. A sort of visual poetry, then, where color and form evoke emotions beyond words. Curator: Exactly! Bush believed that art should bypass the logical mind and speak directly to our inner selves. Editor: It’s almost like the painting itself is in dialogue. Curator: A dance of colour and form, definitely. This piece resonates as a vivid reminder of his vibrant exploration.