Public Pool for Daytime Swimming 1984

Joyce Kozloff made "Public Pool for Daytime Swimming" with what looks like watercolor, and maybe some gouache, judging by the opacity of some areas. The whole thing shimmers, doesn't it? The way the colours are laid down, not quite blended, leaves these tiny gaps. It's like looking at water reflecting light, a constant vibration. There's a real tension between the flat pattern and the illusion of depth that she creates. Look at the way the floral motifs are layered, some sharp, others softened, as if we're seeing them through rippling water. It's funny how she embraces pattern and decoration, it reminds me of someone like Philip Taaffe, who also uses pattern as a way to build these complex, almost overwhelming visual experiences. It makes you think about how art can be both beautiful and kind of challenging at the same time. I love that.