Summer 1953

Philip Guston made this drawing called ‘Summer’ with ink on paper, and wow, the energy just jumps right out at you! I can imagine Guston’s hand moving quickly, making confident marks, building up this sort of fortress-like shape. It’s all these black strokes, like charcoal, against a soft brown background. You can feel his presence, right? The way the ink bleeds and pools in places, it’s like the drawing is still wet, still happening. It's like he's wrestling with something, trying to pin down an idea, maybe about the season, about the heat, or the intensity of summer. I’m sure he was looking at other abstract expressionists like de Kooning, you know, having that conversation with them, pushing and pulling at the same questions about form and feeling. It’s so cool to see how different artists approach the same problem, and how their individual answers can be so distinct. It reminds me that painting isn't just about making pretty pictures but about searching and discovering through action.