"Cool" Series No. 12 (Fiercely Remote) 1963

Perle Fine painted "Cool" Series No. 12 (Fiercely Remote) using oil on canvas. The material itself, oil paint, carries a long history, with its own inherent qualities of viscosity and sheen. Fine has layered different shades of purple, allowing the texture to peek through. The layering is also key to the painting's significance; you can see how Fine has built up the composition through a process of addition and subtraction, each layer altering the tonal relationships and creating a sense of depth. There is also an important social dimension to consider, as abstract expressionism was often associated with a kind of heroic individualism, a celebration of the artist's unique vision and the labor involved in creating a large-scale work. Yet, Fine's painting also challenges the traditional hierarchies between fine art and craft. This is not just "self-expression"; it's a careful orchestration of material and process, one that invites us to look closely at the artist's choices and appreciate the skill and labor involved.