Fishes 1947 - 1951

Adja Yunkers made this print called “Fishes,” sometime in the mid-twentieth century, in a limited edition of just ten. I can imagine Yunkers carefully layering colors – reds, yellows, greens – perhaps building up the image block by block, adjusting the pressure to create these subtly textured surfaces. There is an amazing build-up of marks, creating a sense of both depth and flatness. I want to know, was he thinking of Matisse's decorative planes? The overall composition is a field of interlocking shapes, each hinting at the form of a fish, its scales, its movement through water. It makes me think about how abstraction can capture the essence of a subject, reducing it to its most vital, expressive elements, and how a simple gesture can convey a whole world of feeling and experience. It reminds me that painting is an ongoing dialogue – a vibrant exchange across time, and each artist builds upon the innovations of those who came before.