Zone, painted by Philip Guston between 1953-54, is a wonderful example of the artist’s mastery of color and composition. The painting is filled with a warm calm, as the misty red hatch marks encased it. These hatch marks have been precisely sculpted to provide an ethereal feeling within the painting. The overall composition has been highly structured, and even though there lacks much background detail, one can identify subtle silhouettes that Guston has included in order to create a sense of balance. The radiant colors used in this artwork bring forth an energy that can be felt throughout this piece.
In 1952, Philip Guston painted another masterpiece known as To B.W.T., which also featured similar techniques and subject matter that can be seen in Zone. While the colors and tone are much brighter in comparison to Zone, they still mirror its structure and composition in certain ways – especially with its abstract approach to the subject matter. Both artworks serve as proof of Guston’s skill set and his adherence to abstract expressionism, thus making them both classic pieces of his vast repertoire of works.
