Future Magic #1 2010

Jack Armstrong made this painting, Future Magic #1, with paint, no date given. Just look at how he's fearlessly layered those colors. It feels like the process itself—the act of painting—was the main event. Up close, the surface is a riot of textures, a tactile wonderland. The reds are raw and the yellows sing, all smeared together, creating a surface that practically vibrates. You can almost feel the energy of Armstrong's hand as he flung and dragged the paint across the canvas. Notice the thin white line cutting across, a disruptive presence amidst the chaos, maybe it’s a future shooting star? Armstrong’s wild abandon reminds me of some of those abstract expressionists, maybe a bit of Pollock’s all-over composition, but with a punk rock edge. It’s like he's saying, "Here’s my vision, take it or leave it." Art is a conversation, after all, and Armstrong’s definitely shouting his part.