Dhatri II 1971

Norman Bluhm made this painting, Dhatri II, with big, brave sweeps of colour. The first thing I notice is the fleshy pink donut shape floating near the top, it's like a life raft or maybe an inner tube – just a stroke of colour, but it changes everything. The painting feels so open, so immediate. I can almost feel the gesture of Bluhm’s arm, the way he loaded the brush and let it fly. The surface is alive, with drips and splatters that speak to the physicality of the paint, thick in some places, thin in others. These aren't mistakes, it’s all part of the dance. Just look at the bottom of the canvas, with the electric blue that seems to cut through the image, anchoring the work. Bluhm, like Joan Mitchell, or maybe even de Kooning, shows us that painting isn’t about perfection, it’s about the process, the energy, the conversation between the artist and the canvas. Art is a conversation and this painting is an invitation to join in.