Dancing in the Dark #63 1983

John Chamberlain made "Dancing in the Dark #63" from crushed and painted metal, and when I look at it, I think, isn’t artmaking just problem-solving with materials? There’s this tension in the sculpture between the violence of the crushed metal and the glamour of the paint. You can see where the black paint drips down, kind of casually. It makes me think of Helen Frankenthaler, who would pour paint directly onto the canvas. It’s like Chamberlain is saying, “Yeah, I can be elegant, too.” But then you notice the gold piece that's all crumpled, with its industrial vibe. It’s like he's undercutting the whole idea of beauty. I like that push and pull. Chamberlain’s sculptures always remind me that art isn’t about answers, it’s about keeping the conversation going.