Sam Francis (1923-1994)

Dazzling in its explosive array and display of primary colours, Sam Francis’ abstract painting Untitled, 1991, exemplifies the artist’s unique visual style. The American painter drew from his Abstract Expressionist predecessors, as well as more subtly from a lifelong interest in French Impressionism and Japanese art which had a resonating impact on his work. In Untitled, enticing bursts of vibrant hues sweep across the canvas in rapidly executed gestural strokes, reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings. The exuberant and kaleidoscopic painting exudes energy: lavish streaks of electric yellow, fiery red and watery blue, with hints of bottle green and black, are splayed and sprayed across the pictorial plane like a fantastical firework, creating an intricate layering of space, depth and colour. A deeply thoughtful artist, Francis’ work springs from a place of personal soulful expression and unrelenting painterly urgency. His prolific career spanned decades and continents, with time spent living and working in Paris, Tokyo, New York, Bern, Mexico City, and Los Angeles, and indeed such restless vitality and desire to experience the world is evident in this richly painted and vigorous work.