Richard Diebenkorn’s Ocean Park No. 115 might be one of his most notable paintings, which is part of a series of 145 inspirations by the artist’s surroundings in Los Angeles. The artwork references the beach landscape near his studio, and as with all other pieces from this series, attempts to convey space through form. While Diebenkorn’s older work consisted of representational art features, he gradually moved towards abstract depictions, including his Ocean Park pieces.
The artworks themselves are tall canvases divided into horizontal and vertical lines that suggest geometry while remaining obscure enough for interpretation. This painting style took over twenty years for the artist to develop as he frequently painted while playing Bach and Mozart music in the background; something that seems to reflect in the tonal harmony seen in his works. Perhaps one reason why these paintings are so beloved is because they offer a momentary escape into their abstract and geometrical beauty.
Currently owned by New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Diebenkorn’s Ocean Park No. 115 stands out thanks to how it occupies an ambiguous realm between landscapes and geometric abstractions that give it a unique identity away from others in its series. It serves well among any modern art exhibit material for its thematic depth achieved through visual finesse alone.
