Palette II 1969

Jim Dine made this painting, Palette II, and it plays with process, with what it means to be an artist. The palette itself is realistically rendered, with convincing wood grain. And yet, the daubs of paint are flat planes of colour. This contrast sets up a dynamic tension. The materiality here is key. We have a faux-bois effect, with smooth, opaque color blocks scattered across the surface. Look at the way Dine uses color; each blob is distinct, yet they harmonize. The palette, usually a site of mixing and blending, becomes a display of pure, unadulterated hues. It’s almost as though the artist is saying, “Here are my tools, my materials, in their rawest form.” Dine's work reminds me of early Pop artists like Jasper Johns, who also elevated everyday objects into high art. Both artists invite us to reconsider the familiar, and to see the beauty and complexity in the mundane. Art isn't about answers; it’s about the questions we ask along the way.