Le Rideau rouge (Châteauroux) 1987

Olivier Debre made this painting, Le Rideau rouge, with big swooping gestures and luscious color. It’s a real process moment! I just love how the texture gives it away, you know? The paint isn’t trying to hide anything; it’s right there on the surface, thick in some spots, thin in others. It is a very physical thing, you can practically feel the brushstrokes. Look at the edges of the red forms, how they bleed into the blue and yellow underneath. It is not a neat job, but it’s so full of life. It reminds me of my own studio practice, where I embrace the messiness and see where the paint takes me. Debre's work reminds me a bit of Helen Frankenthaler, especially her soak-stain technique, that sense of letting the paint do its thing. And just like with Frankenthaler, there's no right or wrong way to read this; it’s all about what you bring to it.