9th Street 1978

Robert Goodnough made "9th Street" using gestural marks and a colourful palette of reds, yellows and blues, plus lots of lovely greys. I imagine the act of painting this, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with the artist, and wonder what it might have been like to create this. I wonder what they might have been thinking when they made it? The paint is applied in fairly thin layers and I see a few small brushstrokes but also some larger sweeps of color. Take for instance the long white triangle. How did that come about? What does it do? Where does it lead the eye? It’s fun to imagine what he was trying to do here. Goodnough was a painter of his time, in conversation with other painters, but striking out on his own path. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring one another’s creativity. I see painting as a form of embodied expression, which embraces ambiguity and uncertainty. I see it as a space that allows for multiple interpretations, so let this painting speak to you!