Buttress 1956

Franz Kline’s *Buttress* is an abstract painting, most likely made with house paint applied with large brushes onto canvas. While the bold brushstrokes of black paint on a white background seem simple, they are in fact the result of a deliberate process of creation. Kline’s material choices, the use of readily available paint, and the physical act of painting itself, challenge traditional notions of art. The large scale of the work, combined with the gestural application of paint, emphasizes the physicality of the artist’s process. Kline’s process elevates the act of painting to a level of performance, imbuing the work with a sense of immediacy and raw energy. Kline's work also reflects the social context of post-war America, where industry and labor were undergoing massive shifts, as the artist’s choice of materials echoes the industrial landscape of the time. *Buttress* prompts us to reflect on the labor involved in its production, bridging the gap between traditional art practices and the everyday world of labor and materials.