Untitled c. 1940s - 1950s

This untitled painting was made by Franz Kline using ink on paper. Just imagine the brush loaded with ink, poised over the surface, then, bam! A decisive stroke. I love to think about Kline making these paintings. The sheer physicality of it. It’s like he’s wrestling with space itself. The ink, thick and bold, makes these assertive marks, full of energy. Look at the way the lines intersect and overlap, creating this dynamic tension. You can feel the artist's hand in every gesture. I can relate to the freedom and impulsivity, because I also often make very quick paintings. Kline reminds us of the power of simplicity, that we can communicate complex emotions and ideas with just a few simple elements. You can sense the artist's ongoing dialogue with others, like Motherwell, de Kooning, Still. It’s like they’re all riffing off each other, pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. We continue that conversation.