Magical Space Forms 1962

Lorser Feitelson conjured ‘Magical Space Forms’ with oil on canvas sometime during his long career. The subdued palette of orange and grey is really interesting, and the composition, like much abstract painting, came into being through trial, error, and intuition. You can see the artist’s handiwork in the texture, color, and surface. The paint is applied thinly which allows the forms to sit back from the surface. I imagine Feitelson moving them around, wiping them out, maybe thinking about what these colours might be doing together. The orange is so vibrant. In contrast, the grey is a bit of a downer. I can imagine him experimenting with the interplay between these colors, pushing them into new relationships, figuring out how they might converse and play. Painters are always in conversation with each other across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. Painting allows for multiple interpretations, embracing ambiguity, and uncertainty rather than relying on fixed meanings.