Memphis 1980

John Hoyland made this print called Memphis in 1980, and what strikes me most is the richness of its blues, which contrast with the bold geometry of the shapes, like a yellowy sun and triangles of green and black. I can imagine Hoyland working on this, shifting shapes and colours around, almost like pieces in a puzzle, finding just the right balance. Look at the layering and scratching of the blue areas: you can almost feel the artist’s hand at work, adding texture and depth. That single gesture of deep blue, spread thickly across the top, reads as heavy, anchoring the composition. Hoyland had an amazing ability to make colours sing, and I see him here in conversation with painters like Matisse, bringing his own distinct voice to abstraction. It makes me want to dive into a studio and start pushing paint around myself. Painting is like that, isn’t it? An ongoing conversation. A search. A kind of play.