Critical thinking – Pink Summer
‘Pink Summer’ by Philip Guston is quite a great painting although at times it does seem to have lost its focus. There are several facets to it; from the way the objects are arranged around the viewing point to the strange pink colour which permeates the whole work. The immediate impression one gets is that Guston wants to convey a sense of disorder and comic portrayal; you can immediately observe the brush alongside other objects such as the ruler and the sandwich which may seem to be slightly out of place.
Philip Guston painted “Pink Summer” in 1975, which consist of oil on canvas. Automatically my eyes focused in on the front right of the painting: then a dramatic transition into the rest of the still life. The Pink summer is not beautiful to look at but it has an almost comical twist to it all with a brush, sandwich, book, watch, scarf, side of his face and triangle ruler, all arranged on an individual basis. We can observe four different shades of pink here, one in the background, three on the tabletop like watch, brush, scarf. Guston uses the pink color in creating symbolism and space.
This color also means feminine and romantic, affectionate and intimate, thoughtful and caring. When one observes the painting, there is a feeling of intensity and one feels that he is at one with the artist. Guston certainly creates a feel of soft beauty although the visceral aspect is never far behind.
Pink is a colour which appears quite frequently in Guston’s works and there have also been paintings, where the colour takes on an almost visceral quality. The initial impression of the painting is that it is perhaps a bit too cheesy and funky although upon closer inspection the depth of the subject matter becomes far more apparent. Guston’s works are usually imbued with a strong sexual element, ‘Couple in Bed’ is a typical example, but here the artist seems to steer clear from that overexposed piece of imagery.
This painting is also full of indirect messages. What is the artist attempting to convey by arranging the brushes in that manner? Is he demonstrating his artistic prowess. Pink is also a kind of gayish colour so is he attempting to imply that gay rights are the main scope of the painting. The positioning of the pieces is also quite important, especially the sandwich which is almost waiting to be eaten. There is also an allusion to food since the pink colour used here is quite similar to that of a prawn cocktail.
Another intriguing aspect of the painting is the colour of the brushes which merges perfectly with the pink background. Guston is a master at creating anticipation and one can immerse him/herself into what will happen next with all the implements present on the table. ‘Pink Summer’ is a representation of the joys of that season. The artist uses the colour with a subtle touch, and the way he positions the objects, we are faced with an endless array of variety that culminates in a glorious show of pink.
Works Cited:
Bucklow, Christopher. What is in the Dwat. The Universe of Guston's Final Decade (The Wordsworth Trust, 2007) ISBN 978-1-905256-21-1
Coolidge, Clark. Baffling Means: Writings/Drawings (Stockbridge, MA: O-blek Editions, 1991).
Corbett, William. Philip Guston’s Late Work: A Memoir (Cambridge, MA: Zoland Books, 1994)
