The artwork titled “Room” was created by the artist Philip Guston in 1976. It is an oil on canvas that measures 203.2 x 254 centimeters. “Room” is part of the Neo-Expressionist movement and is categorized as an interior genre within an unpopulated series. The painting is currently housed at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
“Room” by Philip Guston exhibits a bold and emotive style that is characteristic of the Neo-Expressionism movement. The artwork depicts a seemingly cluttered interior space filled with cartoonish, simplified objects that appear simultaneously heavy and tenuous. The emphasis on thick, gestural brushstrokes and the stark contrasts of color heighten the dramatism of the scene. Dominated by a dark background, the composition is enlivened by the liberal use of red and white, creating a sense of immediate visual impact. The objects within the space, while abstracted, suggest forms that could be interpreted as furniture or other components of a room. Floating and fragmented elements in the upper-right corner appear to infuse the scene with a dynamic energy, potentially alluding to an external force intruding into the space. Guston’s choice of color and form conveys a weighty presence and an atmosphere that is at once familiar and disconcerting, inviting viewers to ponder over the symbolism and narrative embedded within the painting’s enigmatic setting.
