Paradise 1979

Albert Irvin made ‘Paradise’ with acrylic paint in, well, I don’t actually know when. But look at how he lets the paint drip, run and pool! It’s like watching the painting come into being, rather than being presented with a perfectly finished object. I love the way the colours interact – that pale yellow is so warm it almost feels like sunlight, and those little pops of turquoise are like cool breezes. It reminds me of being on holiday, somewhere bright and a little bit chaotic. Notice how some of the layers are thin washes, while others are more opaque, almost chalky. Look at the bottom of the painting, where the pigment has gathered and dribbled down the canvas. It's like he's embracing the messiness of the material. Irvin’s work always makes me think of Howard Hodgkin, another British colourist, but one who was interested in memory and feeling. Both artists share the idea that art can be a space of constant becoming.