White Ground-Red Halo 1966

Adolph Gottlieb made this painting, White Ground-Red Halo, with paint, likely oil or acrylic, and canvas or paper. There’s something very primal about these shapes. It feels immediate, like a gesture. The red circle at the top isn't perfect; it's got this juicy, kind of rough edge, which makes it feel handmade. Then, below it, this splattery, almost violent burst of black. The contrast between the clean, white background and these two shapes is what gives the painting its punch. It’s also about how Gottlieb used the paint, letting it drip and spatter to build up this real physical presence. Thinking about other artists, I see a bit of Miró in its playful simplicity, but with a more serious, almost existential vibe. And the way Gottlieb uses the canvas as a space for these abstract forms? That's part of the ongoing conversation artists have been having for over a century!