West Wind 1997

Helen Frankenthaler made this lyrical painting called "West Wind" with fluid washes and spontaneous marks, a kind of dance on canvas. The colors here are dreamy and atmospheric, like a memory of a landscape rather than a direct representation. Look how the blues at the bottom bleed into the canvas, creating a sense of depth and movement. Then there are these splodges of grey and black that feel almost like islands floating in a sea of color. I love how Frankenthaler embraces the unpredictable nature of paint. There's a lovely dark brushstroke that anchors the image, a deliberate, almost crude gesture amidst the delicate washes. It’s this tension between control and chance that makes the painting so alive, don’t you think? Frankenthaler's work always reminds me a little of Joan Mitchell, who was pushing the boundaries of abstraction and lived painting at the same time. It's like they were having this incredible conversation about what paint can do, and we're lucky enough to eavesdrop.