Memphis 1980

John Hoyland made this screenprint, titled Memphis, in 1980. The textures are calling to me here, the way the inky blues have been laid down feels quite improvisational, like a kind of built-up collage. I can see the physicality of the medium in that big, blocky shape at the top; its density is so palpable, you almost feel like you could reach out and touch it. It makes me wonder about the tools Hoyland might have used, the kind of pressure he applied to create that level of texture. And then there's that dark, square shape in contrast, which brings a certain grounding element to the composition. The translucent quality of the inks adds a beautiful depth, like you're looking into a layered world. This play with textures and geometric forms reminds me a little of the work of someone like Patrick Heron, where color and shape become these vehicles for emotional expression. With Memphis, it's like Hoyland is inviting us into a conversation, a dialogue about seeing and feeling, where ambiguity isn't a problem but a possibility.