Genesis 1924

Charles Burchfield created this apocalyptic watercolour called Genesis, and looking at it I imagine him flinging great gobs of umber and ochre paint onto the paper. You know, really going for it! The image is dominated by these huge, dark clouds that loom over the landscape below, rendered in these swirling, gestural marks. It's almost theatrical, like a stage set for some epic drama. I sympathize with Burchfield, trying to capture the enormity and the terror of creation. And look at the little details – those tiny figures standing on that island, dwarfed by the scale of the natural world. I imagine Burchfield thinking about humanity’s place in the universe, the fleetingness of our existence in the face of such powerful forces. The way he's built up the layers of paint creates a real sense of depth and texture. I see echoes of other painters in his work – maybe some of the visionary landscapes of someone like Albert Pinkham Ryder. It reminds us that artists are always in conversation with one another, building on the ideas and innovations of those who came before.