Monochrome Painting: A Posteriori Prototype: Average Size 1994

Stephen Prina made these monochrome paintings as part of an ongoing investigation into colour, form, and display. The muted green is applied evenly across the surface of each canvas, allowing us to really focus on the subtle differences between each one. The paintings, each a uniform block of colour, invite you to explore the nuances of the paint application. Look closely, can you see faint traces of the brushstrokes? The texture is smooth but not entirely without incident. In the left canvas, I can see a slight variation in the tone in the lower right corner, as if the paint was applied a little thicker there. These subtle details are not imperfections, but a record of the artist's hand, and give the painting a quiet and understated depth. This work reminds me of Agnes Martin, not because of any visual similarities but because of their shared interest in the poetic potential of simple forms and restrained palettes. Prina invites us to slow down and really look, and see how much complexity is contained within simplicity.