Untitled 1989

Sam Francis made this painting, with no title, using acrylic on canvas. The colors are bright, primary, and direct, almost like they've been thrown onto the canvas in a fit of excitement. There's a sense of immediacy, a feeling that the paint is still wet, still moving, which gives the work a playful energy. Looking closely, you can see how the colors blend and bleed into each other, creating these unexpected textures and patterns. The teal against the red is particularly juicy. There's a sort of controlled chaos in how Francis handles the paint. It reminds me a bit of Helen Frankenthaler, another artist who wasn't afraid to let the material do its thing. But Francis's work feels rawer, more impulsive. It’s like he’s inviting us to witness the very act of painting, the push and pull between intention and accident. In this way, painting becomes an ongoing conversation.