Untitled (SFP-89-57) 1989

This untitled work was made by Sam Francis, and it’s all about process. You can see it in the drips and splatters; it’s like he's letting the paint have a conversation with the canvas. The colors are so vivid, primary with a dash of secondary; each seems to have its own energy. Look at the way the yellow sits, almost suspended, with those darker spots giving it depth. It’s like he’s built this whole universe out of colored puddles. The black splatters really ground the piece though, giving it a graphic punch that echoes back to the Abstract Expressionist movement and maybe even to the later work of someone like Joan Mitchell. What’s cool is how Francis balances control and chance. He makes these marks, but then lets the paint do its own thing. It's like he's saying, "Art is an ongoing experiment, not a fixed thing." It’s an invitation to see the world with fresh eyes, to embrace the unexpected.