Untitled 

Helen Frankenthaler's painting employs diluted acrylics on unprimed canvas, creating a luminous expanse dominated by shades of blue. These hues are not merely decorative; they echo water’s primal significance as the source of life, deeply embedded in human consciousness. Consider the ancient Greek concept of the primordial waters from which all life emerged, a motif that reappears across cultures—from Babylonian creation myths to Christian baptism. Frankenthaler’s use of blue evokes this collective memory, tapping into our subconscious understanding of water as both life-giving and potentially destructive. The fluid, almost ethereal quality of the paint mirrors water's ever-changing nature, stirring deep emotional and psychological responses, reminding us of our origins and our vulnerability. This is how archetypal symbols like water transcend time. They resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, always engaging viewers on a profoundly human level.