Forio 1958 - 1978

Emerson Woelffer made this gouache painting, named 'Forio,' on paper, most likely in 1958, given the writing on the attached paper. I love the dance between the black and ochre colors; it's like they are pushing against each other, each trying to define its own space, and the few paper scraps add a layer of texture and collage-like dimension, disrupting the flatness. You can feel Woelffer's hand in this work. There's an improvisational quality, as if he's playing with shapes and colors, letting the painting evolve organically, a bit like Joan Miró’s biomorphic forms. Looking at it, I imagine Woelffer stepping back, squinting, turning the paper, figuring out what it wants to be. It’s a conversation between the artist and the materials. Thinking about Woelffer’s wider practice, you realize he’s part of a larger dialogue with other abstract painters, each finding their own voice through color, form, and gesture.