Untitled 1989

This ‘Untitled’ painting by Peter Joseph, asks us to consider what painting is at its most essential, almost as a pure distillation. The physical presence of the colors themselves becomes the focal point: a tranquil, pale blue rectangle floats gently within a larger field of deep rose. Joseph’s application is so smooth, so even, that the brushstrokes nearly disappear. The surfaces feel almost like a dye, subtly saturating the canvas. It’s hard to tell how many layers he may have built up to achieve that kind of subtle, yet intense coloration. That quiet blue in the center resonates with a gentle depth and feels calming against the more vibrant surrounding hue. It recalls the work of Agnes Martin, and the way her subtle use of color and reductive forms can evoke a sense of stillness. Peter Joseph is like that, he asks us to slow down, to see and to feel.