Unplanned Hippies 2016

Lisa Yuskavage's *Unplanned Hippies* presents a hazy scene with a suggestive title. The painting uses layers of thin, washy colour, a bit like watercolour, with these scratchy lines drawn on top. The surface is all about this kind of tentative touch, which makes me think about the painting process, how you're always feeling your way, responding to what's already there. The pinks and blues give it this strange, dreamy atmosphere. The figures are there, but they're also dissolving, like memories or ghosts, you know? That central figure seems so vulnerable, yet she meets your gaze head on. It's not perfect painting, and I love that – the imperfections make it feel human. Yuskavage reminds me a little of Nicole Eisenman, in that she's not afraid to make paintings that are challenging and a bit awkward, full of feeling, like a glimpse into someone else's psyche. Art isn't about answers, it's about the questions we ask.