Figure 1918

Georges Valmier made this painting, called Figure, with what looks like watercolor and ink, maybe gouache too, and I’m struck by the soft earthiness of it. The way Valmier handles the watercolor gives the painting this incredible texture, almost like fabric. See how he layers washes of color, letting them bleed and blend? It's like he’s building up the figure, not describing it. Look at that triangle of brown in the upper-left - see the way those dark parallel lines are laid down to create the texture? He lets the process be visible. You can almost feel the brushstrokes. And then he outlines some of the shapes in black ink, which flattens them again and pops them forward. Valmier’s willingness to embrace ambiguity is something I really appreciate. He nods to Picasso and Braque, of course, but his willingness to work with softer textures, in a way reminds me of Agnes Martin. And I think we can all agree that art is so much more interesting when it's not trying to give us all the answers.