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 16th June

The Moon rises in the constellation of Gemini, bringing astral forces of light into the garden and making it a good time to tend to the flowers blooming at this time of year. With the Moon descending, it is also an ideal time to transplant flowers from the greenhouse into the garden, as the forces press down into the plant, supporting the development of the root structures beneath the soil, which is crucial during transplantation. Let us embrace Gemini and bring a lightness to our step, influencing how we engage with those around us and how we prioritise our activities in the garden.