Untitled 1971

This untitled painting by Betty Parsons features a bold palette of red, blue, and grey, and it feels like a map of somewhere I’ve never been. I like to imagine Parsons in the act of painting, layering these flat shapes, pushing and pulling the composition, and intuitively building the forms. The red paint is applied with loose brushstrokes, creating a warm ground. Floating above are cool grey shapes with hard edges, contrasted by ribbons of blue. The texture isn't overworked, giving the painting a direct, immediate feel. That little blue squiggle in the bottom left? To me, that’s the key to the painting! It's like a gestural note that tells you how to read the whole thing – a reminder that painting is about feeling as much as seeing. Parsons was an important figure in the abstract expressionist movement, and I can see her here, in conversation with painters like Joan Mitchell. Artists are always talking to each other across time!