Untitled 1968

This painting of interlocking blue, green and orange lines by Luchita Hurtado is a testament to the power of letting the hand do the thinking. I imagine Hurtado, brush in hand, leaning into the canvas, coaxing forms into existence. There is a sense of play and experimentation, as if each line is a question, each color a possible answer. The orange lines zig and zag, carving out space, while the blues and greens create a shifting ground. Her colour palette is giving me a sense of being underwater, with sunlight reflecting off the surface. The layering of colours on the canvas is a record of Hurtado's process, a visible history of her decisions and discoveries. I feel like she is in conversation with artists like Forrest Bess or Hilma af Klint, and the way she builds up the surface reminds me a little bit of my own painting style. It is a reminder that we are all part of a larger dialogue, building on the ideas and innovations of those who came before us.