Untitled 1964

Sam Francis made this untitled work with paint on paper, and it’s a great example of artmaking as a process. There’s this feeling that the painting happened quickly. Francis uses a limited palette to construct these shapes that meet on the page. Look closely, and you can see how the paint is applied, and how the colors interact. The paint isn't overly thick, but it isn't thin either. It feels juicy. In the bottom right, the red really sings, with lighter blue paint peeking through. I imagine Francis making it in a single, fluid movement. The texture is smooth, but the splatters of paint add a dynamic sense of movement. Francis’s work reminds me of Helen Frankenthaler, especially in their shared interest in color and gesture. But where Frankenthaler can be more ethereal, Francis has this earthiness to him, a grounded energy that I find really compelling. Ultimately, it’s a dance of intention and accident, a conversation that keeps evolving.