Faces 1959

Morris Louis made this painting, 'Faces', with acrylic on canvas, and he seems to be interested in how the paint soaks into the fabric. The way he’s manipulating the pigment and letting it bleed… it’s all about process. Looking closely, you see how the paint is really thin, almost like a stain, which is so different from the thick impasto I usually go for. It’s like he’s trying to disappear the hand of the artist. The colors are these muted earth tones, but then there's this little rainbow peek-a-boo at the top, a real subtle surprise. There’s one streak, right in the middle, that’s darker than the rest, pulling the whole thing down and giving it this somber, weighty feel. I’m reminded a bit of Helen Frankenthaler, another painter who was pouring and staining her canvases. It’s like they're both exploring how much you can take away and still have it be a painting. It’s a conversation about what painting *is*, always open to new voices.