Lion’s Pride 1973

LeRoy Neiman made 'Lion's Pride' with a whole pride of colours. Squishes of yellow, purple, and orange make up the lions themselves, while all sorts of greens and blues complete the scene. Imagine Neiman in front of the canvas, maybe with jazz playing in the background. There's a kind of joy in how spontaneous the brushstrokes feel. It's like he's saying, "Here's a lion, but also, here's the feeling of a lion." It makes me think about how we see and how we feel when we see. Look at the way he's dabbed and swiped the paint. Those flicks of colour aren’t just descriptive, they’re expressive! They're full of the energy of the scene. He has some connection with painters like Joan Mitchell. You can sense this ongoing conversation between artists across time, inspiring each other to see the world in new ways. Each brushstroke holds its own interpretation and meaning.