Untitled (Flower) c. 1940

Magda Feher made this 'Untitled (Flower)' sometime in the 20th century with paint and paper. It has these soft, muted greens and the blossom itself is a crisp white. I like to imagine Feher at work. What was she thinking about as she was painting? What kinds of choices did she have to make? Did she have to resolve any difficulties? The very deliberate paint application brings out the different shapes and textures in the image. Those broad brushstrokes on the leaves, for example, feel very deliberate and controlled. It's like she’s showing us how to see the essential forms of these leaves. The physicality of the medium brings us closer to Feher's process and it reminds me of Agnes Martin's work; the way she used very limited colors, and really focused on simple shapes and lines. Artists are constantly in dialogue like this. Feher's piece is like a visual poem, letting us linger on the simple elegance of a flower in bloom.