Untitled 1994

Jean-Paul Jerome made this painting with flat blocks of vibrant, clashing colours. I can imagine him figuring out where each shape should go, shuffling them around like pieces of a puzzle. The black shapes really grab your attention, giving the other colors more punch and creating unexpected connections. The red circle in the upper center feels so precise, like it's holding all the other shapes in place. I wonder if Jerome had a specific idea in mind, or if he was just letting the colors and shapes lead the way. There is a kind of controlled chaos that reminds me of Mondrian's grids, but with a more playful, jazzy feel, don't you think? Painting is like having a conversation with other artists across time, riffing off each other’s ideas. There’s no right or wrong way to read it, which I think is really the point.