Two Whiting 1972

“Two Whiting” presents a tabletop still life made by Patrick Caulfield, but when he made it I don’t know. What strikes me is the bold economy of his shapes. Imagine the artist making this painting – step-by-step, color by color, moving with the assurance of the sign painter but with the sensitivity of an artist responding to a feeling. It's clear Caulfield’s not trying to trick us into seeing reality! He's after something else. He paints the scene in flat blocks of solid color, neatly delineated with black lines; but with each considered decision, he’s opening up a world of artistic possibilities for himself and for the viewer. This still life has a strange and awkward beauty, with the two fish presented in a stylized way that reminds me of the work of Giorgio Morandi. I would say that Caulfield, like all artists, engages in a dialogue with the art of the past, while pushing painting into uncharted territories.