Dark Blue World 1947

Endre Balint’s ‘Dark Blue World’ is like a stage set adrift in the night, probably painted with oils, but perhaps tempera or gouache, judging by the matte surface. It’s funny how the dark background brings the simple shapes forward, like characters in a play. Look how Balint uses thin washes of color that let the texture of the canvas peek through, giving the whole thing a dreamy, almost ethereal feel. There is an unusual layering here that’s both delicate and deliberate. The shapes aren’t quite representational, but they carry the weight of meaning. That lemon-drop green oval on the right, how does it balance the heavy blues? It reminds me a little of Miro, who also knew how to make simple shapes sing. It is not about answers but about endless looking.