Plate III from the portfolio Vulcanologies 1970

Plate III from the portfolio Vulcanologies, made by Pierre Alechinsky, shows a volcano in full eruption, a riot of forms tumbling up and out. The top half is all action, a process of spewing and churning. If you look closely, you’ll see the inky blues and browns aren’t trying to trick you into thinking they’re real, instead they sit on the surface like a stain. There’s this fabulous green frog at the bottom, puffing away. I can really feel the immediacy of the marks, the artist is letting us in on his process. The volcano is erupting and the frog is trying to stay cool, literally. It’s like two different worlds colliding on one page. The way Alechinsky plays with form reminds me of Philip Guston’s later work, where everything is a bit cartoonish but also deeply felt. But, you know, who really knows? Art is just this ongoing conversation, and it’s up to us to jump in and start talking too.