Gladioli 1960

Lin Fengmian made these Gladioli with what looks like watercolour, and a heck of a lot of intuition. The colours kind of swim together, don't they? It’s like watching the paint decide what it wants to be. Look at the way he lets the red bleed into the pink, with little hits of yellow peeking through. It’s not about getting it “right,” it’s about letting the colours do their thing. It’s kind of like jazz. See how the brushstrokes are so present, like they’re dancing? He’s not trying to hide the process, he's embracing it. The whole piece feels alive, like the flowers are breathing. There is something about the colour palette that is reminicent of Matisse, especially his later works. And the way the artist embraces the medium here is similar to the way Joan Mitchell used paint, making something so personal and immediate. It makes you realize that art is this ongoing conversation, where everyone’s riffing off each other.