Lido 2000

Peter Alexander made *Lido* with paint, I imagine layering it on, wiping it off, maybe even throwing it at the surface. I love the way he uses a simple red, yellow, and black palette. It's like he's saying, "Hey, that’s all you need!” What could Alexander have been thinking as he built up this scene, adding the bold black marks? Maybe he was thinking about Clyfford Still? That central black shape almost anchors the whole painting. I think it is in conversation with the brushstrokes of other painters, but then again, Peter Alexander, you know, he makes sculptures too, right? Artists are always building on each other’s ideas, like a never-ending game of telephone, but with paint. Painting at its best should embrace the unexpected.