Aerie 2009

Helen Frankenthaler made this lyrical image, 'Aerie', with thin washes of paint on canvas. You can see the ghostly whiteness of the material, shimmering through the colour. The way the pigments float and pool suggests she poured the paint, coaxing it across the surface with brushes, sponges, or maybe just by tilting the canvas itself. I imagine Frankenthaler in her studio, surrounded by colour, totally absorbed in this dance. She's working fast, with the paint almost staining the canvas, creating these soft-edged shapes. Look at the way the red spreads and blooms, forming these open, inviting forms. They remind me of shells, or maybe even open hearts. And notice that touch of gold, dripping like honey. Frankenthaler was in conversation with painters like Pollock and Motherwell, pushing the boundaries of abstraction. She shows how to transform feeling into colour and form, inviting us to bring our own experiences and associations to the work. Each gesture is a thought, a feeling, a moment made visible.