Voice of Fire 1967

What exactly counts as art? It’s a question that was on many people’s minds when the National Gallery of Canada purchased Voice of Fire for $1.8 million in 1989. Voice of Fire was painted by the American abstract expressionist artist Barnett Newman (1905-1970) in 1967. It depicts a bold red vertical stripe, or ‘zip’, between two symmetrical dark blue stripes. Like Newman’s other minimalist zip paintings, such as Onement I (1948) and Cathedra (1951), Voice of Fire is vast in size at 540 cm. The visual simplicity and lack of technical skill involved in the painting continues to cause controversy. Newman has reduced the process of painting to its most essential qualities of colour and line. By abandoning pronounced subject, the artist aimed to create an image that was timeless and universal. This fosters a direct and visceral experience for the viewer which is emphasised by its huge scale. The abstract expressionists emerged in New York following the Second World War. They rejected artistic traditions, instead focussing on modern ideas of emotion and personal expression. Though starkly simple, Voice of Fire is infused with a bold and emotive energy. At its core, the painting invites individual judgement and is open to many different interpretations. So, what do you think? Is it art? Editor: Lucy Jude Grantham