Second Image for J 1976

Bernard Cohen made this painting, "Second Image for J," in the UK. Cohen was part of a generation of artists who came to prominence in London during the 1960s, a time of significant social and cultural change. The painting itself consists of clusters of colorful, amoeba-like shapes floating against a white background. The image's title suggests that it is part of a series. This notion of seriality was important at the time. The painting implies a kind of open-endedness, as if the image could continue to expand and develop beyond the confines of the canvas. The painting also refuses a sense of hierarchy, as it lacks a clear focal point or compositional structure. This kind of visual language chimed with the period's questioning of traditional social structures. Understanding the painting fully requires a look into the archives of the art schools, galleries, and critical writings that supported its creation. In this way, we see that a painting is not just a product of individual genius but also a reflection of its social and institutional context.