Percolator 1927

Stuart Davis made this 'Percolator' painting with oil, and its all about how you construct a picture. I love how the geometry and the colour planes create a kind of stop-motion animation in paint. Davis is doing this layering, like he's building up a Cubist collage, where the flatness fights the illusion. Look closely, you can see the texture of the canvas coming through, almost like he wants you to feel the materiality of the painting. Notice how the brushstrokes are visible in the white areas, creating a subtle, almost vibrating background. The red line zig-zagging, connecting different forms, it's like a visual chord, tying the whole composition together. It reminds me a little of Leger's playful modernism, but Davis has his own distinct beat. Ultimately, this painting’s not about one thing, or one meaning. It’s like jazz, where the improvisation is the point, and the beauty is in the rhythm and the unexpected harmonies.