Jenkins, Paul, Phenomena
Watercolor
79.5 x 110 cm
Signed by the artist in ink lower right
Paul Jenkins was a great reader of Kant, and his works taking the name “phenomenon” can be contemplated in the light of the philosopher’s definition:
“
A compound of what we receive from impressions and what our own faculty of knowing draws from itself”
This form in the middle of the work, devoid of watercolor, evokes the color triangle mentioned by Goethe in his Treatise on Colors. As Jenkins was a follower of the author’s concept, we can assume that he drew on it in his work.
Goethe begins chapter six of his book as follows: “[Color] exerts, when alone, a specific effect, and in combination an effect that is on the one hand harmonious, on the other hand characteristic, often also disharmonious, but always indisputable and important; this effect directly affects moral nature. This is why color, as an element of art, can be used and can collaborate for the highest aesthetic ends”.
The colors are applied to the paper, manipulated by the painter so that they flow in a certain way. These drips and superimpositions, with their unique, characteristic arrangement, nevertheless form a harmonious whole, creating a timeless aesthetic pleasure for the viewer.
About the author
Paul Jenkins (1923-2012)
An American painter living between New York and Paris, Paul Jenkins’ research is deeply focused on color. Painting as colored matter is the subject of his work, nourished by the scientific theories of Goethe and Newton. He regularly renews his practice by devising new ways of showing the properties of color, sometimes fluid, sometimes transparent, sometimes opaque.
