Women in robe 1988

Walasse Ting made this color print, titled *Women in Robe*, sometime in the late twentieth century. It's a playful arrangement of figures, fruit, and flowers. I find myself drawn to the way Ting fearlessly wields color. It’s almost Fauvist, a celebration of pure, unmodulated hues. Look at the reclining figure – she's not trying to be realistic. Ting uses blocks of pink and broad strokes of color to define her form. There is a sense of immediacy, a looseness that suggests the joy of painting as a process. It's as if Ting is inviting us to witness the act of creation itself. The lines aren’t precious, they're confident and bold, like a Matisse drawing. Ting reminds me of artists like Joan Mitchell, who also weren't afraid to let their emotions spill onto the canvas. The conversation between them, across time, makes me think about how art is always an ongoing dialogue. It's not about having all the answers but about asking questions.