Untitled 1974

This 'Untitled' piece by John Grillo is some kind of drawing or print, where the image emerges from a process of layering. The monochrome palette really lets you focus on the textures and forms. The composition is dominated by a large circular shape packed with geometric forms. Some look like they're drawn with a ruler and set square, but then you have the big feathery marks radiating out from the circle - they feel much more gestural. The contrast makes me think about how we find order in chaos, or maybe it's the other way around! Look closely and you can see how the different marks have been built up - the cross-hatching, and the way that some of the shapes have been smudged or rubbed back. It's like Grillo is thinking through making, almost like a conversation. This piece reminds me a bit of some of Kurt Schwitters' collages. Both artists play with found elements, arranging them in ways that are both playful and profound. Art's like that - it's all about finding your own way of seeing and making sense of the world, one mark at a time.