Gong 1935 - 1942

Albert Rudin made this small watercolor entitled ‘Gong,’ and the quiet way he builds tone and form through thin washes of color really captures something about the beauty of process. What I really love is the way the paint is so transparent. Rudin doesn’t try to hide his working; he lets the layers show, which gives it an openness. It's like he’s letting us peek behind the curtain, and you can sense that he is exploring the object through the paint, rather than trying to create an illusion. Look how the washes in the gong itself gradually build the form. This approach reminds me a little of Agnes Martin’s work. While Martin’s palette tends to be more pastel, there’s a similar simplicity and quietness. Both artists embrace a more subdued approach to image making. It’s as if they’re inviting us to engage with art on a more intimate and reflective level.