Fleurs 1955

Victor Brauner made Fleurs in 1955, likely using watercolor on paper. Look at the way these flower shapes emerge; it’s almost like watching them push upwards, out of the ground. You can feel Brauner experimenting, right? The petals are all different shapes and colors, red, pink and blue. The greens of the leaves stand out, and the vertical lines create a sense of rhythm that moves your eye across the surface of the painting. I can imagine Brauner standing over the paper, brush in hand, coaxing these forms into being. The way that Brauner plays with simple forms and colors reminds me of folk art, where directness and expression are everything. And yet, there's also something here that brings to mind the playfulness and experimentation of artists like Joan Miró. In the end, it's all about seeing what happens, and trusting the process.