Abstraction 1964

Lawren Harris made this painting, "Abstraction," with a symphony of yellows, oranges, and a quiet splash of blue. I can only imagine him layering thin washes of paint, letting each coat dry a little before adding another, building up this radiant glow. Those concentric circles—did he use a compass? Or did he trust his hand, letting the lines wobble and breathe? I feel like Harris was trying to find some cosmic order. He was part of a generation that was deeply interested in spiritualism and theosophy, and you can definitely see it in this painting. I feel like I'm gazing into the heart of some unknown celestial body. Painters have always looked to each other for inspiration. Harris was definitely in conversation with artists who sought to capture something beyond the visible world. You can see echoes of Hilma af Klint and even Kandinsky here. Ultimately, painting is a dialogue that continues to unfold across time and space. We all find our own language within it.