untitled (s.f.e.363) 1994

Curator: Here we have Sam Francis's vibrant "untitled (s.f.e.363)," executed in acrylic on canvas in 1994. It just vibrates, doesn’t it? What does it conjure up for you? Editor: Chaos, but of a very organized kind. Like an explosion in a paint factory, maybe. I immediately start to consider the materiality, the layers upon layers of paint, and the labor involved in such a seemingly spontaneous piece. It's all about production! Curator: Absolutely, it’s spontaneous and yet meticulously planned. The dance between chance and control is where the magic happens. You can almost see the ghost of Pollock there, and those gorgeous pools of colour remind me of looking into deep rock pools, sunlight flickering on the water...it just needs mermaids. Editor: Yes, those large colourful forms seem to contain smaller elements, building this sort of all-over-painting feel. You mention chance, but what apparatus allowed Francis this freedom? Was it brushes? Some other custom implement? It all looks incredibly labour-intensive and there are many techniques displayed across this singular circular plane. Curator: I’m glad you pointed that out, it is like its own little contained universe! He used everything from brushes to palette knives, even sponges to create such varied textures. I see so much passion—he built his surfaces quite literally with paint, sculpting feeling onto canvas. Editor: Which circles back to the making and his material output: this isn't just the product of genius, it is an example of Francis being really attuned to process and engaging in the hard labor of applying so much paint to the canvas. And look, even this abstract explosion feels deliberately arranged, so every splash has its place. Curator: Well, that’s it for me: next time I'm making breakfast, I’ll try to find the harmony in a paint explosion, just as Sam Francis has! Editor: Exactly! And perhaps think a little more deeply about where these tubes of vivid acrylic originate...food for thought.