Flower 1962

Robert Mallary made this ‘Flower’ print, but the date is unknown, and the process feels like a big part of the story. Check out the bold, almost brutal textures up top, like he’s attacking the paper with a loaded brush. Then, bam! A delicate stem appears, anchoring it all with this unexpected grace. That single red dot is like a tiny rebellion against all that monochrome angst. It draws you in, doesn’t it? The surface is everything here, from the rough, almost sculptural marks, to the thin, scratchy lines. It’s all about contrast, and it makes you wonder about the tools he used. Was it a deliberate act of destruction and creation all in one go? You could say there is something of Franz Kline in its raw energy. But Mallary also embraces a kind of vulnerability that keeps the conversation going.