Flowers No. 5 1975

Gebre Kristos Desta made Flowers No. 5 with paint—but you could be forgiven for mistaking the canvas for a celestial chart or a garden at night. The canvas feels alive with vibrant daubs of color against a deep background. I can imagine Desta in the act of creation, moving around the canvas with each gesture. How does a painting like this come into being? Is it through layering, trial and error, or an intuitive response to color and form? I think about the physicality of the medium—the texture of the paint, how it reflects light, how it can build up and create depth. The drips and splatters speak to action, spontaneity. But what about the darker ground? The whole feels like a conversation, with the artist answering questions and exploring ideas on the canvas. And now we get to join in.