Kinder Filmen I 2005

Isa Genzken made Kinder Filmen I without a known date, with layers of gestural marks and a bright color palette. What was Isa thinking when she made this, I wonder? It’s almost like she was building a cityscape, but then decided to disrupt it. See how the bright stripes of color—red, yellow, blue, green—crisscross the panels, creating a sense of movement and energy. The texture is smooth, and the colors seem to float on the surface. It reminds me a little of some of Blinky Palermo’s work, though much wilder. I feel like maybe Isa was trying to find a way to push the boundaries of painting, to make it something new and unexpected. The splatters and drips, the layering of colors and textures – it's a conversation between control and chaos. It makes me think about how artists are always in dialogue with each other, riffing on each other’s ideas, and pushing the boundaries of what art can be.