Untitled (L. I88; SFE 065) 

Here we have an untitled print by Sam Francis, whose date is unknown. The dynamic composition immediately grabs your attention, doesn't it? A vibrant cluster of red dominates the upper-left, countered by smaller, geometric splatters in the lower-right, all set against a vast white canvas. The artist's method is on full display. See how he uses the stark white space not as background, but as an active element? It heightens the intensity of the color, making the reds, blues, and yellows pop. This interplay between color and space is not arbitrary; it challenges traditional notions of form and ground, drawing on the principles of abstract expressionism where the act of painting itself becomes the subject. Note how Francis destabilizes any fixed point of focus. The eye is drawn to and fro, creating a visual experience that's open-ended. He invites us to question whether we can fix any stable meaning at all.