Red Yellow Blue White and Black II

Ellsworth Kelly

In an age of modernity, where religion’s powers are waning and art was moving away from the representative, Ellsworthy Kelly wondered what would become of the altar-piece. Spending nearly a decade in Europe in the late 40s and early 1950s, he spent time in classical churches and cathedrals and became infatuated with the large scale, multi-panel works that served as their centre-pieces. On his return to America, he tried to incorporate this idea of art works composed of separate pieces, each serving as stand-alone painting but contributing ultimately to something greater than the sum of their parts. This seven panel work was the answer to his wondering, arranging the colours through chance techniques, he removed himself from the aesthetic decision making of the work and instead let the beauty of the artwork live in the intersections of its medium. The dialogue happens at the edges of the panels, where block colours interact across flat planes, and like the religious altarpieces that inspired it, the work tells a story of humanity and emotion when seen in its totality.

Tuesday 23rd June

As the Moon deepens into Virgo, an earthly and attentive sign, we are invited to bring care to the small things that hold life together. Virgo carries the gesture of discernment, service and quiet devotion; it notices what has been overlooked, and helps us restore order where things have become scattered. This is a good time to tend to the practical details of our lives: clearing a space, organising tools, preparing food, caring for the body, or finishing the small tasks that have been waiting patiently in the background. In the garden, Virgo draws us back to the soil, to roots, compost, structure and rhythm. Today, we may find beauty not in grand gestures, but in careful attention — in the humble work of bringing things back into right relationship.