Untitled 1932

This untitled painting was made by John Ferren, sometime in the 1930’s. It’s a rambunctious composition of simplified, biomorphic forms. The palette is limited to black, blue, red, yellow and burnt orange. The way Ferren uses these colours reminds me that painting is always a process of balancing. There's a real lightness in the touch, as if the paint was applied wet-into-wet, and the surface appears soft and velvety. The composition is dynamic, a series of simplified shapes and lines suggesting a kind of symbolic language. The black lines and shapes seem to hover and dance on the surface, like characters in a play. I keep coming back to that thick black brushstroke arcing from right to left. It’s a really confident gesture which pulls the other elements together. It also seems to anchor the composition, preventing it from floating away. In some ways, it puts me in mind of Joan Miro. Both artists share an interest in the power of simple forms and spontaneous gestures. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, where artists borrow from each other, finding new ways to express ideas.