Number 13 1965

James Brooks made Number 13 in 1965, we think with paint on canvas. I love the directness of the black and white, how Brooks just went at it. It’s like he's saying, "Here's the thing: making art is a process, not a perfect product." The painting’s surface is so alive. Look at the thick, juicy strokes, that kind of confident, sweeping gesture. Then those horizontal smears on the right – you can almost feel the drag of the brush. It's all about the physicality of the paint, the back-and-forth of adding and subtracting. That looping form on the left, how it curves and dives, it's a total performance of the hand. Brooks reminds me of Franz Kline, but with a bit more chill. Like Kline, he embraces the raw, unpolished feel. It's a good reminder that art is about exploration and conversation, not just pretty pictures.