The Life Between Words 2018

Soey Milk, born in 1989, made this painting, "The Life Between Words," with layers of loose brushstrokes that let the painting emerge through the process. Look at the way she mixes thin washes of color with thicker, more deliberate marks. There's a real tension here between control and accident. The figure is rendered with a delicate touch, especially in her face, while the surrounding areas are more abstract, like a landscape of feelings. Notice that continuous white line looping behind the figure; it almost feels like the painting is breathing. It's a simple gesture, but it ties the whole composition together, suggesting a fluid connection between the figure and her environment. Milk's work reminds me of Cecily Brown, in the way she balances figuration and abstraction. I’m left with a sense of openness, which is what I look for in painting.