Grouping, Nude Figures c. 1935

This is a watercolor by John Marin of nude figures on paper, and it looks like it came into being through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with the artist making this work. What might it have been like to try and capture this scene? The paint is very thin, it’s like he’s feeling his way through the scene. See how the figures emerge from washes of pink, grey, and blue? Look at those dark, bold, gestural marks and how they communicate feeling and intention, and the way they suggest the presence of the artist’s hand. Marin’s work reminds me of other painters like Marsden Hartley, who were also interested in capturing the energy and vitality of modern life through abstract forms and expressive gestures. It’s like they’re all in an ongoing conversation across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. Painting is a form of embodied expression which embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations.