David and Goliath 1944

William H. Johnson made this painting of David and Goliath, and it’s just so raw and exciting. The simple shapes and bold colors – like that intense purple mountain range – feel like he's getting right to the heart of the story. Looking at the way he's handled the paint, it's not fussy or slick. It’s got a real handmade quality, like he was figuring it out as he went along. The red slashes in the sky, for example, are laid down fast, and give the whole scene this slightly unsettling, energetic vibe. I'm especially drawn to David's figure – the way he's been so simplified down to these flat planes of yellow and brown, it almost feels like a paper cutout. Yet, there's so much power in that simple form. Johnson reminds me of artists like Horace Pippin, who also used a direct, unpretentious approach to painting. They both show us how much can be communicated with just a few well-chosen shapes and colors. Art doesn't have to be complicated to be powerful.