The artwork titled “Deep Sun” was created by artist Helen Frankenthaler in 1983. As a significant contribution to the Abstract Expressionism movement, this piece exemplifies the characteristics of abstraction. The genre of the artwork is abstract, and it eschews any direct representational form, instead conveying its aesthetic impact through powerful use of color, form, and composition.
Upon examination of “Deep Sun,” one observes a vibrant palette dominated by hues of yellow and green that bleed into one another, creating a sense of depth and dynamic interplay. A striking splash of an intense warm color, perhaps reminiscent of a sunset, pierces through the central region, hence the title “Deep Sun.” The forms are fluid and lack defining edges, giving way to interpretation rather than concrete depiction. The composition is both striking and harmonious, utilizing the medium to evoke emotion and contemplation in the viewer. The boundaries of the colors appear to have been allowed to spread organically, which is indicative of Frankenthaler’s technique, where she often let thinned paint pour and flow onto the canvas, resulting in her signature style within the Abstract Expressionist movement. The artwork, through these abstract elements, conveys a sense of natural landscapes, atmospheric conditions, or a deeply personal narrative that is open to interpretation.
