Baid 1970

James Brooks made ‘Baid’ using oil paints on canvas, a traditional pairing of materials within fine art, but with the ethos of the New York School, the emphasis is not on any representational subject, but on the act of painting itself. Brooks' artistic process involved layering and manipulating paint, building up textures and surfaces through the gestural application of brushstrokes. Look closely, and you can see the rich impasto and varied paint quality, which brings depth and movement to the composition. The artist often employed techniques such as staining, where thinned paint is absorbed directly into the canvas, creating subtle gradations and atmospheric effects. The immediacy of his methods imbues the artwork with a sense of spontaneity, and physical energy. By foregrounding material and process, Brooks challenged conventional notions of artistic skill, inviting viewers to appreciate the inherent qualities of paint and canvas. Ultimately, it’s through this engagement with materials that we fully appreciate the artwork’s meaning and significance.