Gadal 10.11.86 1986

John Hoyland made "Gadal 10.11.86" with paint, likely acrylics, given the date, and boy, did he throw it down. I love how the painting embraces process. Look at the dark mass in the center, like a big, brooding cloud. The paint drips and bleeds, and you can feel the sheer physicality of the medium. It’s thick, opaque, and unapologetic. Then there are the circles, punches of color. Red, yellow, and orange, holding their own against the darkness. A yellow circle sits low in the composition, its edges blurred, almost vibrating against the somber ground. Hoyland was always playing with color and form. You might see echoes of Rothko's color fields here, but with a more aggressive, almost punk rock energy. It’s not polite. And that’s what makes it so good. Art should ask questions, not give answers.