Untitled (Oct 4 1951) 1951

This is a painting made with brushstrokes of blue, gray, white, and a touch of pink, by David Smith, on October 4, 1951. Imagine Smith wielding his brush, laying down these marks, searching for something, letting the forms emerge and then be redefined. It’s like he's wrestling with shapes, trying to pin down a thought or a feeling. There is a dark looping line at the bottom right that reminds me of de Kooning and his wild exuberance. The paint isn't too thick, but you can still feel the physicality of it, the way it sits on the surface, catching the light. Look how the blue anchors the composition, providing a sense of depth against the pale pink. It makes me think about how painters are constantly responding to each other, picking up on each other's ideas, and pushing them in new directions. Painting, after all, is an ongoing conversation across time, a way of making thoughts visible through touch and gesture. It's about embracing the unknown, and finding meaning in the process itself.