Blancs 1973

Simon Hantai made this painting, Blancs, using a technique where he crumpled and knotted the canvas before painting. I find myself looking at the way that Hantai allowed the process to dictate the image. It’s like a wild dance between control and chance. The texture is so present, almost like fabric. It is hard to ignore the folds and creases and how the paint settles into them. There is a small brown form on the bottom right, it’s neither the subject nor the background; it’s just there, doing its thing. The contrast between the vibrant colours and the white creates a push and pull, as if the painting is breathing. Hantai’s method reminds me a bit of Helen Frankenthaler's soak-stain technique. Both artists embraced the unpredictable nature of their materials. Ultimately, art is a conversation across time, an ongoing dialogue of ideas and techniques.