San Andreas III 1963

Lawrence Calcagno made 'San Andreas III' with oil paint, conjuring the famous Californian fault line, though you wouldn’t necessarily know it. Calcagno worked with a limited palette, mostly browns and blacks, punctuated by that striking, horizon-like red line. Look at the surface: the paint is thick and luscious, built up in layers that create a real sense of depth. You can almost feel the earth moving, shifting beneath your feet, with each loaded brushstroke. See that cluster of marks near the center? They almost look like eyes staring back at you. This is the real genius of the piece. Calcagno isn't just representing a landscape; he's inviting us to experience its hidden energies. It feels like a conversation with the earth itself. Think of Rothko’s colour fields. Like him, Calcagno coaxes feeling out of abstraction. The painting embodies the sublime unease and elemental power of the natural world.