Ocean Park #28 1970

Richard Diebenkorn created “Ocean Park #28”, a large-scale painting of oil on canvas, within his extended series named after a neighborhood in Santa Monica, California. This abstract composition is embedded in its geographical and historical context. Diebenkorn, influenced by the light and urban landscape of Southern California, translates his surroundings into geometric forms and muted colors. The Ocean Park series began in 1967, and these paintings moved away from his earlier figurative work, reflecting a shift in the art world towards abstraction. Yet, Diebenkorn’s abstraction isn't detached from reality; it's rooted in the experience of place, and the way space and light intersect. The large blocks of color evoke a sense of place, like looking through a window or viewing a map. The textured surfaces and visible brushstrokes remind us of the artist’s hand. The work invites you to pause, breathe, and contemplate the interplay between what we see and how we feel. It is in this delicate balance of abstraction and lived experience that the painting finds its power.