Ferris Wheel 1963

Gene Davis created this artwork, ‘Ferris Wheel’, using acrylic on canvas. At nearly three meters wide, your eye might dance across the painting’s surface. The composition is built around vertical bands of colour and the materiality of the paint flattens any sense of depth. Davis was interested in how colours interact with each other and in the optical effects of colour when placed side-by-side. Notice how he uses a system of signs, with each colour operating as a coded element. Davis creates rhythm and movement, pushing the boundaries of visual perception. The canvas becomes a field of pure chromatic experience, challenging our assumptions about the relationship between space, colour, and form. The painting operates as a vibrant, complex structure inviting endless contemplation.