Red, Yellow, Blue and Turquoise 1970

David Annesley made this playful print using red, yellow, blue and turquoise marks. I like how the work feels like a record of a process, a dance of color across the page. The surface of the print is so alive with these little gestures! They're not quite dots, not quite dashes, but each one has its own energy. I think the combination of primary colours gives the piece this vibrant, almost childlike quality, like the confetti from a party. Notice the way the marks seem to be pulled into the center, as if drawn in by some invisible force, there's a real sense of movement, but then you realize, nothing is really moving at all. It's like he's caught a moment of pure, joyful energy and pinned it down on paper. It makes me think of Bridget Riley's Op Art, the way she plays with your perception, and how Annesley too, understood that art is an ongoing conversation. You look, you respond, and you add your own voice to the mix.