Systole And Diastole 1962

Alfred Jensen made this painting called 'Systole and Diastole' with oil paint, and right away you can see his interest in using artmaking to capture the idea of process. Look at the textures, the colors. It’s like he's building something up, brick by brick. The material aspect of Jensen's work really gets me. The oil paint is laid on thick, almost like frosting on a cake, but each square is carefully considered. I’m drawn to the imperfect geometry of the criss-crossing lines, and the way the yellows, reds and blues play off each other. The way the numbers are arranged in their squares suggests a mathematical equation. See how they create a rhythm? This reminds me a little of the early work of Hilma af Klint, with her use of geometric forms and mystical symbols. Both artists make a point of celebrating ambiguity and multiple interpretations.