Untitled Red Painting 1960

Brett Whiteley made this untitled painting with what looks like oil on canvas, but when, we don't know. I like how the reddish brown of the background is not quite consistent, instead there are many marks and scumbled layers showing the history of the painting. It’s like the painting is documenting its own making, and maybe that’s what it’s “about.” The textures vary; in some areas, the paint is thin and transparent, in others, it’s thicker, revealing the direction and pressure of the brushstrokes. Around the edges of some of the shapes, you see Whiteley has used a dry brush technique, dragging the paint lightly over the surface to create a broken, textured effect. This area, around what looks like a white jug, contrasts with the smoother areas, giving a tactile quality to the piece. This reminds me of Willem de Kooning who was also interested in gesture and materiality. Paintings are rarely ever "finished"; they remain open to interpretation and change as we, the viewers, change.