Untitled 1968
By Paul Jenkins
Paul Jenkins created this sweeping abstract landscape in 1968, working with his signature technique of pouring and manipulating thin veils of paint across the canvas. The result is a dreamlike terrain where colors seem to float and merge into one another, with dark shadowy forms anchoring vibrant passages of orange, purple, and blue. Jenkins was fascinated by how paint behaves when given a certain freedom, tilting his canvases and letting gravity play a role in the final composition.
The painting evokes natural formations like distant mountains or aerial views of valleys, yet it never commits to representing anything specific. This ambiguity is part of its appeal. Jenkins, an American abstract expressionist who spent much of his career in Paris, was influenced by Eastern philosophy and often spoke about capturing the energy and movement of nature rather than its literal appearance. The transparent layers create a sense of depth and atmosphere, as if we're looking through mist or colored light at something just beyond our grasp.