Paragraphe pour un mois de mars 1961

Jean Messagier made this piece, *Paragraphe pour un mois de mars*, with brushes and paint. It feels like the kind of painting where the joy is in the doing. There's this incredible range of oranges and greens, all swirled together like he's trying to capture the feeling of a windy day. It’s interesting how Messagier lets the brushstrokes be so visible, almost like he wants us to see the decisions he made as he painted. Look at the way the colors blend, not perfectly, but in a way that creates this sense of movement. There’s a tension between the loose application of paint and the overall harmony of the piece, which is nice. You can almost feel the energy of the artist, making each mark with intention. His paintings remind me a bit of Joan Mitchell’s work, both artists aren’t afraid to let their feelings show on the canvas. Ultimately, this work is more about the experience, about the conversation between the artist and the paint, than about any fixed meaning.