Oblique #7 1968

Leon Berkowitz created "Oblique #7" with luminous color, a hallmark of his artistic exploration into the emotive power of abstract form. Born in Philadelphia, Berkowitz navigated a world grappling with rapid social change. In the mid-20th century, abstract expressionism offered a visual language to express complex emotions in response to the anxieties of the Cold War era. Berkowitz, however, moves away from the angst-ridden expressions of his peers. His paintings embrace the serenity of color and light. He once said "I'm painting light, not color... Color is only the means". Consider how the vertical bands of color do not conform to a rigid geometry; they blend and merge, creating soft transitions. There is an undeniable spirituality here, reminiscent of Rothko's sublime color fields, inviting us to meditate on the infinite. Berkowitz steers away from traditional representational narratives. Instead, he opens a space for personal reflection, making it a mirror for our own emotional landscapes.