Orange-Blue Space 1964

Guido Molinari made this untitled painting with simple colours, probably house paint, slapped onto a canvas. I love the directness and lack of fuss. The colours and the way they’re laid down tell us so much about artmaking as a process. Look closely, and you’ll notice the surface isn’t perfect. It’s got lumps and bumps, little imperfections that show the hand of the artist. The colours, a powerful blue, orange, and yellow, aren’t blended or fussy. They just sit next to each other, creating a jolt, like in a Barnett Newman. It makes me think of Sol LeWitt, who was also into simple shapes and colours. But where LeWitt can feel rigid, Molinari has a looser, more playful vibe. Art is an ongoing conversation, and Molinari’s painting feels like a response to and an update of, all the abstract painters who came before him. It’s this conversation, not any single, fixed meaning, that makes art so exciting.