New York City I 1942

Piet Mondrian made "New York City I" using tape and paint on canvas to create this abstract vision. I love how the composition is all about the grid, but it's not rigid; the lines wobble, and the colors feel so alive. You know, it’s funny because, at first glance, it seems so simple, but then you notice these subtle shifts in color and weight. The yellow lines are dominant, but look how the blue peeks through, and the red punctuates the composition. It’s like a city map, but also, like, a pulse, an energy field. And, of course, the materiality of the paint is so important here. It's not about illusionism; it's about the physical act of making, the tape, the brushstrokes. I think of Agnes Martin when I look at Mondrian, another artist so committed to the grid, but really, they both show us how even the simplest forms can hold infinite possibilities.