Birdland (with Mark Perrott) 2003

Robert Qualters and Mark Perrott made this, ‘Birdland’, with paint and mixed media, I love how it's like a mosaic, but not quite, each little square bursting with its own vibe. The colors here are anything but shy. Qualters lays down these bright, unapologetic hues, then smudges them around so it’s all about feeling the process. There's a square right in the middle, it has this hazy, lemony smear of paint, and it just makes the whole thing sing. It's like he's whispering, “Hey, art is messy, life is messy, let's just dive in.” This reminds me a little bit of some of the early abstract expressionists, like maybe Joan Mitchell, who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty and let the paint do its thing. And in the end, that's what art is all about, right? Embracing the beautiful chaos.