Panel from Circus Wagon c. 1938

This gouache and graphite drawing for a circus wagon panel was made by Frank M. Keane, sometime in the early 20th century. I see a real commitment to process here, a dedication to the act of making, of building layer upon layer to conjure this image. The surface is really interesting. The paint is applied in such a way that the whole scene takes on this otherworldly, almost sculptural quality. You can see the artist’s hand in every stroke, in the way the colors blend and bleed into one another. There’s a looseness to it that feels so alive, so present. Take a look at the figure in the center, she is like Lady Liberty, and notice the way the gold of her robes contrasts with the flag behind her. The red white and blue is all smudged out, this ain’t no pristine patriotism! It creates a depth and a texture that you just can’t get any other way. It reminds me a little of Red Grooms’ work, that same sense of playful irreverence, but with its own unique sensibility. I love the way art can be so many things at once, how it can hold contradictions and complexities.