Circus 2001

LeRoy Neiman made "Circus" using bright colours applied in sweeping strokes. I can imagine him, brush in hand, building this scene, layer by layer. It must have been thrilling to create this all-encompassing world. Look at how the colours explode across the canvas, creating a sense of movement and energy. The thick paint gives texture and depth, doesn’t it? Think about the way the figures are rendered. Each stroke seems to capture a moment, a gesture. I see him, thinking, "How do I create that sense of tension, or that fleeting moment of grace?” It reminds me of some of Joan Mitchell's bold, gestural works, or even de Kooning's explosive brushwork – though Neiman’s got a representational subject in mind. Painters are always in dialogue with each other. We build on what came before, playing with ideas and pushing boundaries. It’s like we are all in one big, messy, paint-filled conversation.