Galaxy 1949

Barnett Newman made this painting, Galaxy, with oil paint. It's a deep red field bisected by two vertical stripes of ochre and it’s funny how something so simple can feel so… present. The surface is matte and slightly textured. You can see the individual brushstrokes, especially in the red field. It's not trying to hide its making. The vertical stripes are slightly raised, like ridges. They're not perfectly straight, they waver a little, adding a human touch. It's interesting to think about how the physicality of the paint, the way it's applied, affects how we experience the work. Newman's known for these "zips," and they’re so much more than just lines. They're about presence, about being in the moment. The way the red and ochre play off each other reminds me a bit of Rothko's color fields, but Newman's got this edge, this rawness. It’s like he's stripping painting down to its bare essentials and asking, “What is it to be here, now?”