Abstracte compositie 1995

Harrie Gerritz made this Abstracte compositie, or Abstract Composition, as it translates from Dutch, sometime around the 1990s. The shapes and palette seem simple, but I like the way the artist lets us see the process of how the image came together, bit by bit. I'm drawn to the rectangle in the center. It looks like a building, or maybe even a cat. The brown paint is thin enough that you can see the paper underneath. Then there’s that black outline which gives it some definition, but also feels kind of tentative, like the artist wasn't quite sure if it should be there. That's what abstract art is all about. Questioning every move, every mark. I’m reminded of Joan Miró’s playful shapes, or maybe even some of the later work of Agnes Martin, but with a Dutch twist. It’s the kind of piece that embraces multiple readings, multiple meanings, and that’s what makes it fun to look at.