Jar c. 1937 - 1938

Yolande Delasser made this painting, called Jar, with paint on paper. The blue swirls and looping marks over a textured grey ground create a sense of playful ambiguity, you could almost say that she is having a conversation with the flowers on this jar, like talking to a friend. You can see how the ground isn't just a passive backdrop but a character in the picture. Look closely at the surface where the blue paint is applied, it’s not trying to trick you into thinking it's a real jar, but is concerned with the here and now, the materiality of paint and paper. Now, think about the color palette. The combination of that deep blue against the warm grey is almost like a memory. It reminds me of Arthur Dove and his explorations of color and form. Like Dove, Delasser seems less interested in representation and more interested in the act of seeing itself. We can never know exactly what Delasser intended, and that’s alright.