Large Chartreuse 1965

Ronald Davis created Large Chartreuse with a hard edge that makes you think about the geometry of space, and the architectural potential of a painting. The painting has this solid presence, and the colour is so yummy, like key lime pie! I can imagine Davis considering the interaction between the chartreuse and the white border. It’s a balancing act – a tightrope walk between colour and form. It reminds me of Frank Stella's shaped canvases, how he made the painting an object. I wonder about the decision to leave that white border. What do the edges do? Is the painting trying to escape from its frame, or is it a window onto another dimension? Ronald Davis and Stella are in dialogue with each other, riffing on the same ideas, pushing the boundaries of what a painting can be. This painting feels like a statement, and an ongoing exploration of the relationship between painting, sculpture, and space. Artists are always learning from one another!