Untitled 1993

Purvis Young made this untitled work on found book covers, with paint, at an unknown date. The colors are muted, almost like a memory fading, with strokes that feel both urgent and accidental. It reminds me of the way we try to capture something fleeting, knowing we can never truly hold on. The physicality here is so present; the paint isn’t just on the surface, it’s part of it. The white paint is scrubbed into the surface of the book cover, with hints of green and red peeking through. Looking at it, I wonder if he used whatever was at hand, maybe even his fingers, to smear the paint around. The gestures remind me of Cy Twombly's scribbles, but with a rawer, more desperate edge. This piece feels like a conversation, with the artist, with the materials, and with ourselves. It’s about the process of making, of trying to say something without words, embracing the beauty of imperfection.