Family Misunderstanding 1969

Jules Perahim made "Family Misunderstanding" with oil on cardboard, and right away, the red grabs you. It’s not just red, it's got layers, like the ground is breathing. Now, look at these figures. They are not quite anything, but definitely something. They remind me of Picasso or maybe Miro, but rendered with a real soft touch, like Rothko. The tan guy has a crown but his face is just a profile and the gray guy is like, “Hey, what’s going on?” Their feet are sinking into this rainbow of stripes. It's the only part of the painting with hard edges, it makes you wonder if that's the cause of the misunderstanding. I like how nothing quite fits, but it all feels right. Art is just a way of showing something we can't quite say.