Untitled 1962

Editor: This is an Untitled work by Robert Goodnough from 1962, an acrylic on canvas. At first glance, the composition makes me think of a flock of birds in flight. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, I like your image of birds! To me, Goodnough has captured that exhilarating feeling of release, you know? All those little geometric shapes seem to be scattering and reforming before your eyes. And look at how he’s chosen that earthy ground—what I think of as "dirty" gold–it really helps the lighter hues dance! What does that background colour evoke in you? Editor: It makes me think of parchment or maybe old maps, something aged and almost elemental. I'm curious about the shapes, though. They're so deliberately placed, yet there's an element of chance, or perhaps a system I just can’t figure out. Curator: Exactly! Goodnough was super interested in the idea of chance. He loved letting go of total control and allowing the painting to, in a sense, paint itself. He’d scatter the shapes, move them around until something clicked for him – a hidden order or dynamic harmony. He worked within the Modernist mindset. But it goes deeper! Doesn't it make you wonder what the underlying meaning might be? What do you think he may be saying? Editor: Well, given it was the early 60s, maybe a reflection of social structures breaking apart and re-forming? The rise of new ideas challenging older conventions. Curator: That’s a great read! Art always dances with its historical moment, right? It might also be Goodnough just responding to that universal urge for constant renewal and finding beauty in chaos. Editor: This has certainly helped me see this work in a totally new light. I'm going to look at Goodnough in greater depth now. Curator: Fantastic! I think it will make this painting live forever in your memory.