Firebox 1964

Gene Davis’s "Firebox" presents these vibrant stripes that just sit there and vibrate. I imagine Davis standing back, squinting, then diving in to lay down another line. It’s like he’s thinking, "How can I make these colors sing together?" The juxtaposition of warm reds and cool greens, that hot pink against the black... it's a total visual buzz. You know, painting isn't just about making something pretty. Sometimes, it's about testing the limits, seeing what happens when you push colors and forms to the edge. And that's what connects Gene Davis to, say, Bridget Riley or Kenneth Noland. It’s this conversation across time, this desire to see what paint can do. It's all about feeling.