Untitled (SFS 243) 1968

Sam Francis made this untitled painting, probably with acrylic on canvas, and boy, is it a trip. The colors are bold, almost like they were squeezed straight from the tube, and the white space? It's not just emptiness; it's like a stage, waiting for something to happen. Look at how the red paint drips down the sides, like tears or maybe excitement! There’s an urgency to it; Francis is right in the moment, not fussy, just letting the paint do its thing. It reminds me of Helen Frankenthaler in a way, that idea of stain painting, but Francis is wilder, more spontaneous. It's not about perfection; it's about the energy of the gesture. And that dark bar across the top? It anchors the whole thing, giving it weight, like a horizon line. So, is it a window, a doorway, or just a feeling? With Francis, it’s all of the above, and none of the above.