Untitled 1967

Behjat Sadr made this untitled painting with what looks like enamel paint, and maybe worked on it horizontally, it’s hard to tell. The colour palette of yellow, red and black is bold, almost Pop-y, and it makes me think of the process of artmaking as a kind of dynamic, ever-evolving conversation, a back and forth between intention and chance. The material aspects of this work are striking. The paint application looks so physical, with a tangible texture. You can almost feel the ridges and layers. Those thick, juicy stripes against areas where the paint seems thinner and more transparent create a real rhythm, and the way that she has played with light and shadow really emphasizes the physicality of the medium. Take a look at where the red stripes bend; it’s like the whole painting is breathing. I think her work carries echoes of Gerhard Richter in his squeegee paintings, but hers feel warmer. Ultimately, Sadr’s art invites us to see the world not as something fixed, but as a fluid, ever-changing process.