Red Poppies 1961

Jules Engel made this print, Red Poppies, with what looks like ink and maybe a little gouache. It’s all about how he lays down the marks, and how those marks become an image, or maybe just stay marks – that’s the fun. Look at the big, dark rectangle on the left, made with these horizontal strokes. You can almost feel the brush dragging across the paper, the slight variations in pressure, the way the ink bleeds a little. It's not trying to hide anything, it's all right there on the surface, the physicality of the ink, the texture of the paper. Then, bam! That little explosion of red. It's like a burst of energy, a focal point that pulls the whole thing together. A lot is happening in that little patch, its a real contrast with the solid blocks of black. This reminds me a little of Franz Kline's big, bold brushstrokes, but with a touch more, dare I say, tenderness? Ultimately, it's a reminder that art isn't about answers, but about opening up possibilities.