Untitled 1961

Franz Kline made this ‘Untitled’ painting with oil on canvas, and the process seems pretty direct. There's something about the stark black and white contrast and the way the brushstrokes are laid down that feels immediate, like a snapshot of a fleeting moment. It’s less about representation and more about the pure act of painting. Up close, you can see the texture of the paint – thick in some areas, almost transparent in others. The brushstrokes themselves are raw, full of energy. Look at how the black paint meets the white – it’s not a clean line; there’s a kind of ragged edge, a give-and-take. It reminds me of de Kooning’s work in its gestural quality, yet Kline's reduction to black and white creates a different kind of intensity. This piece feels like a bold statement, an embrace of the messy, unresolved aspects of life. Like a conversation between two opposing forces.