Two Angels 

Walasse Ting made this painting, "Two Angels," with acrylic on canvas. Ting was part of the CoBrA movement, so-called because it involved artists hailing from Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam. Looking at the thick, tactile way the paint is applied, you can see how Ting embraced spontaneity. There are clear signs of the hand, the artist's gestures recorded in the drips and daubs. The blooms of color are applied almost like makeup to the female figures. While acrylic paint is a relatively modern, industrially produced material, here it is used in a way that harkens back to the traditions of oil painting, but with an eye to mass consumption and commercial printing. Ting’s canvases were intentionally affordable, allowing him to reach a wide audience. He also made prints. The playful use of color and the simplified forms undermine any lingering hierarchy between art and commerce.