Picabia II (Forgot) 1971

Jim Dine made this print, Picabia II (Forgot), in his signature, expressive style. The dominant blacks and greys are punctuated by a bright, visceral red heart. I can almost feel Jim Dine standing in front of the printing press, layering image upon image, working through the process, forgetting, remembering, and creating something completely new. I wonder what Jim was thinking when he made this? The surface is full of playful gestures and words, like Ooh La La or Cherry Baby, almost like a collage of memories, images, and desires. Look closely, and you’ll see how the inky blacks are applied loosely, almost violently. The red heart, on the other hand, is more controlled. The dripping paint feels almost like a tear. Maybe Jim was thinking about love, loss, and all the messy contradictions in between. Like Dine, painters are always talking to each other, borrowing, stealing, and transforming ideas across time. This piece, like many of Jim’s works, is a conversation with Picabia, another artist who wasn’t afraid to mix things up. For me, painting is about embracing ambiguity, uncertainty, and allowing for multiple interpretations. It’s a process of inquiry for both the artist and the viewer.