Old Flame 1974

Ron Gorchov made this painting, Old Flame, with paint on canvas. It's like a world of red, a landscape even, built up with layers of oil. I can imagine Ron, in his studio, wrestling with this painting. What I see here is a beautiful conversation with the material, that back and forth dance. The two vertical openings, cut or scraped through the red, offer a glimpse of what's underneath. These gestures might've been spontaneous, a way to reveal what was hidden, like the flash of a memory, like a spark. The painting feels direct, honest. I think about other painters, like Blinky Palermo, who were also interested in a certain kind of reduction and simplicity. It's like Ron is in dialogue with them across time, answering and posing new questions. It feels risky, embracing that ambiguity. There's no single answer, but an invitation to stay with the feeling.