Tulips 1969

Curator: Up next we have Alex Katz's "Tulips," part of the Tate collection. It's oil on board, a relatively large piece at 356 by 253 millimeters. Editor: Oh, it's startlingly vibrant. Those yellows practically vibrate against that muted background. A real jolt of spring! Curator: Katz is interesting. He started with studies from life, really engaging with the direct observation of things. I wonder, how did this process inform works like Tulips? Editor: Maybe it's about capturing the fleeting nature of beauty, like how tulips burst open then fade so quickly. Makes you appreciate the moment. Curator: Right, and Katz’s focus extends to the materials themselves, the ready availability of oil paints, the social accessibility of floral subjects... Editor: It’s funny, I always think of Katz as so cool and detached, but this feels… tender. I find that quite moving. Curator: Perhaps that’s the tension he cultivates. A really lovely piece, I think we can agree. Editor: Absolutely, a reminder to find the beauty in the everyday and consider the world around us.