Flask (Swirl) c. 1940

This is Raymond McGough’s ‘Flask (Swirl)’, and it's made with watercolor, I'm guessing sometime in the middle of the last century. Look at the way the wash of transparent green color interacts with the paper, creating these vertical patterns. I imagine McGough patiently layering these watery strokes to build up the form, trying to capture the essence of the glass. There's a softness and a simplicity to the shape that feels very honest. The swirls, they make me wonder if McGough was looking at the light dancing on the glass, translating it into these rhythmic patterns. This makes me think about artists like Giorgio Morandi, who dedicated his whole practice to still life, or Agnes Martin, always finding infinity in the smallest mark. There’s a whole world contained in one object! It's a simple scene, beautifully rendered. I feel a sense of calm in its quiet observation. These artists remind us to slow down, to really see what’s in front of us, and to find beauty in the everyday.