Willem de Kooning, Painter, East Hampton 1983

Mariana Cook created this photograph of Willem de Kooning in East Hampton, capturing a moment of quiet intensity. The image is monochrome, focusing on texture and form, much like de Kooning's paintings. Behind him, a canvas hints at his process – bold strokes and erasures, a dance of creation and destruction. I think of the layers of paint, the physical act of painting itself, of a conversation that exists between artist and canvas. Look closely at the swirling lines behind de Kooning; they contrast with the stillness of his pose. It makes me think of Franz Kline, another artist who embraced the power of black and white, and celebrated the raw energy of mark-making. Both artists show us that art is an open field of possibilities.