Round Trip 1957

Helen Frankenthaler made this painting, Round Trip, with fluid strokes and a dreamy palette. It's like she’s showing us how a painting can be a space for color to just exist, to breathe, and to interact. Look at those big red shapes at the top. They’re kind of floating, right? They’re not really defined, but they have a presence. That’s because of the way the color seeps into the canvas, staining it. It's thin paint, not laid on thick, but soaked in, so the color feels like it’s part of the fabric itself. It’s like she’s letting the paint do its thing, making happy accidents. There is a kind of looseness here. I can see the hand of the artist in the drips and the blurred edges. Frankenthaler always reminded me of Joan Mitchell, another painter who wasn't afraid to let go and see where the paint takes her. And isn’t that what art is all about anyway? A never-ending conversation, a round trip of ideas and feelings.