Untitled 1974

This untitled work was made by Sam Francis using watercolours and I imagine a very fluid approach! What strikes me is how the washes of colour aren’t contained, they’re allowed to bleed and run, creating these soft-edged shapes. It’s like Francis is less concerned with controlling the paint and more interested in seeing what it can do. The colours themselves, the reds, yellows, and blues, feel like pure emotion, raw and unfiltered. Look how the watercolour pools and creates these vibrant clusters! They seem to float on the surface, almost detached from the paper. The white space in the centre feels like a breath, a moment of calm amidst the chaos. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's work, in the way it balances spontaneity with a kind of classical restraint. Both artists share a love of gesture and improvisation, embracing the unpredictable nature of artmaking. It's a good reminder that art doesn't always need to be precise or perfect. Sometimes, it's the messiness, the imperfections, that make it truly beautiful.