Streamlines Futur 1916

Giacomo Balla made ‘Streamlines Futur,’ with what looks like oil on canvas, and its got this amazing way of seeing the world. The painting is like a playground of shapes and colors, but it’s not just about pretty things, it’s also about the process, the back and forth, the thinking and rethinking that goes into making art. Look at how the paint is applied, not too thick, not too thin, but just right. And the colors! They’re so vibrant, so alive. And it’s like Balla is saying, let’s not get too caught up in what things are supposed to look like, let’s just enjoy the ride. And in the bottom left corner, the mark-making is so gestural, so free, it's like Balla is just letting his hand do the talking, and this mark is a key part of the painting as a whole. Balla’s work reminds me a little of Hilma af Klint, both artists were interested in exploring the spiritual and the unseen through abstract forms. For Balla, and for art more generally, it's about embracing the unknown, diving into the mystery, and seeing what we can discover along the way.