Untitled 1971

Here we have an untitled print by George McNeil and what strikes me is the dance between light and dark, how they're not just colors, but actors on a stage, pushing and pulling. Look at the way McNeil uses stark contrasts. It's like he's carving out the figure from the darkness, making visible the raw energy of the body. The splatters and drips aren't mistakes; they're part of the story. Each mark feels intentional, a record of the artist's hand moving across the surface. I am drawn to the head. The way the face is built up with rough, almost violent strokes. The eye socket and the mouth. It's unsettling, yes, but also deeply human. There is a sense of vulnerability. McNeil reminds me a little of Willem de Kooning, especially the way he mangles and reassembles the human form. But McNeil has his own distinct voice, a little rougher maybe, less polished, and all the more powerful for it. Art as raw expression.