Van’s Dominoe 1999

Melissa Meyer made Van’s Dominoe in no particular year using paint, probably oil or acrylic. You can see right away it’s a stacking up, a building of marks and colors. It’s a testament to the process – a way of thinking through doing. Look closely and you'll see how the textures are layered. The brushstrokes are pretty visible, not trying to hide anything. Some areas are thick, almost like impasto, while others are thin and transparent, allowing the colors underneath to peek through. It's this push and pull that creates a sense of depth and movement. Check out that dark brown patch in the bottom right corner, it’s like a little city, a contained world, full of movement, and maybe some secrets. Meyer shares something with other artists, like Philip Guston, who aren't afraid to let their paintings be messy, to be human. It's all about the conversation, you know? Each painting is a response, a question, a continuation of something that's been going on for centuries.