Untitled (SFE 092) 1993

This untitled painting was made by Sam Francis, using a variety of abstract marks and forms. I imagine Francis in the studio, maybe with music playing, moving around the paper with a brush loaded with color, making these shapes happen kind of intuitively. I am really drawn to that looping form with the red outer edge. It’s like he started with this vivid color, then added bits of other colors inside—green, blue, yellow—like little gems, almost collaged. I think I see a kind of conversation happening between the brushstrokes and the way the paint is allowed to drip and splatter. It’s like he’s letting the paint do its thing while also guiding the composition. It feels like a joyful and exploratory process, which is something Francis does well. His paintings always strike me as experiments, with each mark building on the last. Painting is a conversation, and Francis’ contribution is definitely worth listening to.