Untitled: Circus c. 1953

John Marin made this painting, titled "Untitled: Circus," with oil on canvas. The loose brushstrokes and dreamy color palette give it a sense of spontaneity, like capturing a fleeting moment. Up close, you can see how the paint is applied in thin, transparent layers, creating a luminous effect. The blues and pinks blend together, suggesting movement and energy. I love the way Marin leaves some areas of the canvas bare, allowing the white to peek through and add to the overall sense of lightness. Notice how the darker, almost gestural marks in the upper left and lower left frame the lighter central image, as if to ground or give weight to a central performance or dance. Marin's approach reminds me a bit of the early watercolors of Kandinsky, both artists were interested in capturing the inner, emotional experience of the world through abstraction. And like Kandinsky, Marin invites us to look beyond the surface and find our own meaning in the swirling colors and shapes.