Untitled 1959

Ray Parker, at some point in his career, made this untitled painting with what looks like large brushes and generous helpings of blue paint. The making of this piece is so clear; I love that, the directness of the gesture. The blobs of color sit on the surface, each with its own energy. Look at the top blob, the darkest one: it's almost black, but with hints of blue fighting their way through. You can practically feel the weight of the pigment, like a dark cloud hanging over the canvas. Then there's the bottom left blob, a rounder, friendlier shape, its edges soft and blurred, bleeding into the white background. It's as if the paint is still wet, still moving. Parker reminds me a bit of Helen Frankenthaler, but where she stains, he builds up. It's like he's saying, "Here it is, folks, pure paint, pure color, take it or leave it."