Maltese Cross 1964

Al Held made this "Maltese Cross" painting with its black, yellow, and white geometric forms. It's like he's building with shapes, laying down simple blocks. I wonder what Held was thinking about when he made it. Maybe he was looking at road signs and feeling the speed of travel. Or maybe he was thinking about Mondrian, but wanting to do something with a little more punch, a little more pop. The black outlines are so assertive, like they're shouting, "Here I am!" And the yellow is so sunny, it's like a little jolt of energy in each corner. It reminds me that artists are always talking to each other, even across time, riffing on each other's ideas. Painting isn't about having all the answers. It's about asking questions, about seeing what happens when you put one color next to another, one shape on top of another. It's a conversation, a messy, beautiful, ongoing conversation.