Ibis 1987

Sam Gilliam made 'Ibis' from paint and mixed media, and whatever year it’s from, it feels very now. I’m just drawn to the way he builds up the surfaces, layer after layer, like sediment. He’s not afraid to let the process show, all those little marks, those strokes of blue and lavender singing together. Up close, you can see the physicality of the medium. The paint is thick in some places, thin in others, transparent, opaque. You can almost feel the energy of his gestures, how he loaded the brush and how he moved his hand across the surface. Look at that bright yellow up top, it's like a sun, casting a glow over everything. It reminds me a little of early Frank Stella, the way he’s playing with shape and color. But Gilliam’s got this raw, improvisational feel that’s all his own. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, a back and forth between artists across time, each adding their own voice to the mix.