Neurocity (Aqua Blue) 2009

Landon Mackenzie made this painting, Neurocity (Aqua Blue), with paint, of course. It's like a mosaic but with this cool, drippy, watery vibe. There's something so satisfying about seeing how paint behaves. Up close, you can see how each little square is its own world of color, but they all come together to make this bigger, buzzing thing. It's not trying to trick you into thinking it's something else; it's just paint doing its thing. I keep thinking of Agnes Martin’s grid paintings, but dirtier, messier, not so zen. Neurocity (Aqua Blue) is a hot mess in a good way. A testament to the fact that art is not just about ideas, but about getting your hands dirty and playing with the stuff.