Grey Still Life 1948

Adja Yunkers’ Grey Still Life is a print of some kind, maybe a lithograph or monotype, that captures a world of objects in an almost dreamlike state. What strikes me is the kind of off-kilter color palette, like the yellow with grey, and the way the composition holds together despite its oddness. There are these horizontal bands, and then rounded shapes above, like gourds or vases, all rendered with a kind of waxy, chalky texture. Look closely, and you can almost feel the grain of the paper, or whatever surface Yunkers was working on. It’s like he’s inviting us to touch the picture, to feel its weight and substance. I love how the white lines meander through the composition, connecting one object to another like a wandering thought, or a musical phrase. It reminds me a little of Arthur Dove, who was also interested in capturing the essence of things, rather than just their outward appearance. And like Dove, Yunkers seems to be saying that art is not about answers, but about the questions we ask along the way.