Untitled 1995

Ellen Gallagher made this ‘Untitled’ painting using ink, paper, and pencil. It looks like she's built it up layer by layer. It reminds me of Sol LeWitt's wall drawings but with a sly wink. Those delicate marks floating on the surface are like tiny constellations. What were her thoughts as she created each one? Each mark, each shape seems so intentional, each mark somehow both systematic and playful. The tan paper, folded and collaged onto the surface, feels like it's reaching out to us, inviting us to think about the relationship between support and surface. It’s like she’s saying, ‘Hey, let’s rethink the whole idea of what a painting can be’. It also reminds me of Agnes Martin, but in a totally different way. It's like they're in conversation across time. These works are all part of an ongoing creative exchange, feeding into one another. Each artist inspires the next. Each work is only possible in relation to others. And that’s painting for you – it’s never really fixed, it’s always changing, always open to new interpretations.