Nalon 1968

James Brooks made this abstract canvas, Nalon, with oil paint and probably a whole heap of intuition. Looking at the painting, I can feel how he might have built it up slowly, maybe even wiping away areas, adding more, and responding to what was already there. Imagine Brooks in the studio—maybe he’s thinking about Mondrian or maybe he's just in the moment—totally absorbed. I can almost feel his arm moving, making those sweeping gestures, the brush dancing across the canvas. The black marks feel so spontaneous, like little explosions of energy. And then there's that big grey geometric shape—it's hard to tell if it’s coming forward or receding into the background. The yellow patch gives a jolt, creating a disorienting feeling, like when you wake up from a dream and can't quite place where you are. Ultimately, Nalon feels to me like part of an ongoing conversation that all painters are having—I want to be part of that!