Male figure (one of a pair) still bank 1959

This dapper Male Figure bank, one of a pair, was crafted by an anonymous artist, using paint on wood. Look at the directness of the marks and how economically the form is rendered: it's not trying to fool you into thinking it is anything other than what it is. What I love is the way the painted details sit on the surface of the wood, creating a kind of dialogue between the material and the image. There’s the yellow of the vest with the thin black line going down the middle, almost like a zipper. Then, those teeny, tiny little dots that act as buttons. The way the paint is applied so flatly makes me think about how so much of art is about decision-making. Each color choice, each line, is a mini-revelation! It reminds me a little of the work of Red Grooms: the bold lines and the playfulness. Art is just one big conversation, and this little guy is right in the middle of it! Don't forget, art is a playground for the eyes and the mind.