Two Bathers 1958

David Park made this painting, Two Bathers, with oil paint. The way he's laid down these strokes, it's like he's wrestling with the paint, trying to pin down a feeling more than a literal scene. Look at the texture, the way the colors are slapped on, thick and juicy. It's not about hiding the process, it's all right there on the surface. It's as if the paint itself is doing the talking. Notice the broad strokes around the bather's arm. The orange outline contrasts with the blue of her torso, creating a vibration, an energy. Park's work reminds me a little of Diebenkorn's, that same Californian light, but with a bit more rawness, a bit less polish. You can almost feel the artist's hand, the urgency of the moment. I think ultimately painting, like life, is more about the questions than the answers.