Untitled c. late 1950s

Franz Kline made this painting, Untitled, with ink and gouache on paper. Look at these swipes of red, purple, and green, laid down with so much speed and confidence. The color is thin and watery, with a drippy, runny quality. I can imagine Kline thinking, "What if I make a mark like this? Or like that?" This feels like pure experimentation, which I really admire. I am reminded of Joan Mitchell who, like Kline, fearlessly wielded the brush to express raw emotion, capturing the energy and intensity of a fleeting moment. See how the colors bleed into each other? Like they’re having a conversation, or a dance. The artist is building an image, yes, but it's also something more—a record of his own thought process, made visible. It's a reminder that painting is thinking and thinking is painting.