Beside the Sea #42 1966

Robert Motherwell made "Beside the Sea #42" with paint on paper. And what a dynamic, drippy dance of black on white it is! I just love how the paint is flung and splattered, leaving trails and pools of ink. You can almost feel the artist's energy, the way he moved his arm, the speed and the force behind each gesture. The bottom is anchored by this solid black bar, providing a kind of visual stability to all the action happening above. But even that has a little drip that is reaching out, a little accident. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s work, especially those blackboard paintings. They both have this raw, uninhibited energy, like they're trying to capture something fleeting and intangible, you know? Art isn’t about perfection or control; it’s about letting go and seeing what happens. It’s an exchange between the artist, the materials, and the moment. And in this case, it’s a beautiful, messy conversation.