Tokyo 1974

Sam Francis made this watercolor, titled "Tokyo", using paper as a support for his chromatic explorations. Francis’s technique involves pouring diluted pigments onto the paper, allowing the colors to blend and bleed in unpredictable ways. The inherent fluidity of watercolor defines its appearance, giving it a sense of lightness and spontaneity, as the artist relinquishes some control of the image to the behavior of the paint itself. The artist has left some areas of the paper bare, as the colors interact and create depth through transparency and layering. The drips and splatters evoke a sense of movement, while the composition gives the viewer an insight into Francis's labor, and his methods. The combination of intention and chance makes us question traditional notions of skill and authorship, pushing us to consider how materials and process shape artistic expression.