Untitled (from the Amerim series) 1997

This abstract print was made by Vasile Dobrian, sometime in the last years of the 20th century. It’s a study in contrasts, a rectangle of warm orange sits above a sequence of vertical stripes in green and brown. The surface has this really interesting, almost chalky texture. You can see the grain of the paper coming through. Up close, the orange area has this mottled, uneven finish, which gives it real depth and keeps it interesting. It feels like the orange was laid down in layers, scrubbed and blended – I can almost feel the artist working the material! There's something so satisfying about the way Dobrian has allowed the marks to remain visible. Look how the crisp lines of the vertical stripes create a visual rhythm. Think about the push and pull between control and spontaneity. For me, Dobrian's work has the directness and honesty of someone like Agnes Martin, but with a playful, almost childlike quality.