Racquetball 1981

LeRoy Neiman made this painting called "Racquetball" using energetic brushstrokes and a vibrant palette. The whole thing is a process, right? Like a game, or a painting. Look at the physicality of it! Neiman uses thick paint and visible brushstrokes to capture the fast-paced energy of the game. Notice the way he uses broad strokes of yellow, pink, and blue to create the sense of movement and speed, and how the colors blend and bleed into each other. There's one particular stroke of bright pink that cuts across the court, right in front of the player's feet. It doesn't make logical sense, but it really animates the whole composition, like a spark. Neiman reminds me a bit of someone like Joan Mitchell, capturing a raw, emotional experience through color and gesture, but turned up to eleven. What’s the feeling? Ambiguity, excitement, and the joy of art-making, of course.