Paris Gothic 1993

Ed Clark made 'Paris Gothic' with bold strokes of color, and you can feel the energy in the sweep of each curve. There's something so raw and immediate about the materiality of this piece. The paint isn’t trying to hide. You can see the bristles pulling and pushing, layering colors like faded rainbows. Notice that horizontal band of white fading into green across the center? It feels like a horizon, yet the arcs above and below could be anything – portals, reflections, or just the sheer joy of movement. Look at how the black lines add an almost architectural structure, a skeleton holding the washes of color. Clark was part of a generation of artists who were pushing painting beyond representation, towards something more felt than seen. The conversation between color, gesture, and form here reminds me of Joan Mitchell – that same willingness to let the paint lead the way. It's a reminder that painting is never finished, just abandoned, full of possibilities and open to endless interpretations.