Art Analysis: Richards Ruben

Richards Ruben’s Claremont I Richards Ruben is an abstract expressionist artist known for his heavy worked, vivid surfaces which don’t fall into the label of neither geometric nor gestural. His work, Claremont I, made in 1995, is a vivid example of his art style. His brusque movements, vibrant yet relaxing colors and their flow on the canvas, create a unique kind of harmony. Claremont I is a pretty impressive piece. The materials and the sized of the canvas do help to bring the beauty of the piece. Overall, the canvas is about 7x5 Ft, making it rather a large piece. Its size can make the viewer experience it in a different than what they would experience if the piece was smaller. Because of its size, we can pretty much see every detail on the canvas, the direction of the paint stokes, the texture, and how the colors try to blend with each other. The colors use on the piece work perfectly with each other. Even though they do not blend entirely into each other, the viewer can still see the certain areas in which the lighter colors try to blend into the darker ones. When it comes to the colors, the piece is divided into two different section. Light and dark, One color and various colors together, but overall, both
sides have this kind of soothing feeling in them. Both sides of the piece are very similar from each other. The side of the piece with all the different colors is more abrupt than the side with the darker and only color. We can see how the colors try to merge into each other, but fail into doing so. On the side with the lighter colors, we can see red, orange, green, and two shades of gray trying to dance in harmony. As said before, the paint strokes can really be seen, they’re big, heavy, and wide. If you look at the painting, you can see that there are big chunks of paint (or some other material) sticking out of the canvas. It makes the painting seem rougher on that side of the painting. However on the other side, the bank paint used, has a smoother as simpler pattern. The strokes don’t make a specific shape, they just go with the flow of the colors and how they kind of merge together. The painting kid of leaves the viewer with a feeling of conflict, chaos, but smoothness and tranquility at the same time. The “lighter” side of the painting, even though it has all the colors that are very gentle to the eye, it has the rougher part of the entire painting. The conflict between the colors trying to become one, or be in harmony, but can’t because of their texture. On the other side, the black on the canvas. The viewer can see that it’s just one color. A simpler component on the piece. The strokes are smooth and calm. There’s no a sense of rush nor discomfort. Both sides of the painting might represent two opposite sides of something, like good or bad, light and evil, life and death.
The viewer might not be certain about the real meaning behind the contrast, but it’s clearly by just looking at the picture that Ruben wanted to show some kind of difference between to, maybe unknown, opposite sides. A side that contains beauty, warmth, and plenty of different components adorning it. However, this beauty comes with rough and chaotic parts too. But regardless of this, it slowly merges into a different space, a darker yet calmer void which is a beautiful as the beginning. A side that regardless it darkness, it gives you this feeling of calmness that makes you just want to stare, stay still, and be absorbed by
it. Richard Ruben’s Claremont I is indeed a very unique piece. The colors use make a perfect harmony between each other and their textures. Even though on might think light colors can’t be soothing but chaotic at the same time, but Ruben’s painting is an example of it. The rough and bold paint strokes that slowly merge into a simpler exclusive color, make Claremont I a harmonious piece of art.