Collins St. 5p.m. 1955

John Brack made this painting, Collins St. 5p.m., with what looks like oil paint. It's all tans and browns, and it feels like he was really thinking about the people, not the place. I can imagine him stepping back, squinting, maybe muttering to himself as he figured out how to make all those faces different, even though they're all kind of the same. Look how he's lined them all up, like soldiers. Each one is just a little bit off from the one next to it. The paint doesn't look too thick, but you can see the brushstrokes, especially in the faces. They're so serious! It must have taken real focus to create that many faces with such nuance, where each one has its own story, yet together they are a part of something bigger. I wonder if Brack ever looked at Philip Guston's paintings? They both have this way of making you feel something, even when you can't quite put your finger on what it is. Painters always look at each other, that's how we learn to see the world! And, just like us, the meaning changes over time. It continues to pose questions, not answers.