Alice Tully Hall Sampler 1961

Gene Davis painted Alice Tully Hall Sampler with acrylic on canvas; it’s a symphony of vertical stripes, each a slightly different width and color. You know, with stripes like these, it's so easy for the process to become robotic, but Davis keeps it alive. There's a real physicality here, and he isn't trying to hide it – the paint isn't too thick, but not watered down either. The colors vibrate against each other; they're not quite harmonious, but create a beautiful tension. Look at the way the cooler greys and blues on the left meet those warm reds and yellows on the right. It's like a visual call and response. Davis reminds me a little bit of Bridget Riley, but where she's all about optical illusion, he’s more about the pure joy of color. Art's an ongoing conversation, right? It’s never just one voice, but a chorus of different perspectives, and this is just one way to look at the world.