Phenomena Tibetan Flange

Paul Jenkins’ 1973 Flow Painting: Where Physics Meets Abstraction

In 1973, Paul Jenkins produced Phenomena Tibetan Flange, a work that distills his signature technique of controlled fluid dynamics into a luminous, almost geological form. Unlike the gestural violence of Pollock or the chromatic fields of Rothko, Jenkins’ method relied on gravity and viscosity—pouring thinned acrylic onto primed canvas, then tilting the surface to coax rivulets into veils of color. The title itself hints at dual influences: “Phenomena” nods to natural forces, while “Tibetan Flange” suggests the layered, ritualistic quality of Himalayan thangkas, where pigment accumulates in stratified bands. This print captures the original’s delicate tension between accident and intention, a hallmark of Jenkins’ mature period.

The painting emerged during a decade when Jenkins had refined his approach after years of experimentation in Paris and New York. By 1973, he had abandoned brushes entirely, favoring ivory knives and controlled pours to create what he called “flow paintings.” As The Art Story notes, his work from this era often explored the interplay between transparency and opacity—a dialogue visible here in the way crimson bleeds into ultramarine, only to be interrupted by sudden opalescent barriers. The result is neither purely abstract nor representational but a hybrid: a cross-section of earth’s crust rendered in light.

Jenkins in the 1970s: Between Meditation and Materiality

By the early 1970s, Paul Jenkins had shed the overt spiritual symbolism of his 1950s work, instead pursuing what he termed “the phenomenal”—a focus on the physical properties of paint as a metaphor for cosmic processes. This shift aligned with broader trends in Abstract Expressionism, where second-generation artists like Helen Frankenthaler and Morris Louis were similarly exploring stain painting. Yet Jenkins’ method remained distinct: while Frankenthaler soaked unprimed canvas, Jenkins worked on gessoed surfaces, allowing pigments to pool and crack like drying riverbeds.

Phenomena Tibetan Flange belongs to a series where Jenkins investigated the behavior of acrylics under minimal interference. The Museum of Modern Art has noted how his 1970s works often employed a restricted palette to emphasize texture and light refraction—a technique visible here in the way the central white vein appears to glow from within. Unlike the explosive energy of his 1960s canvases, these later pieces suggest erosion and accretion, as if capturing a geological event in slow motion.

Jenkins’ 1973 works reject the myth of the artist’s hand in favor of a collaboration with physics—where gravity, not gesture, becomes the primary composer.

The Alchemy of Controlled Flow

Composition: Directed Chaos

The vertical orientation of Phenomena Tibetan Flange wasn’t arbitrary. Jenkins often worked on canvases taller than they were wide to exploit the natural downward pull of liquid paint. Here, the central white “flange” acts as a fulcrum, dividing the composition into two asymmetrical halves. The left side’s dense crimson ground contrasts with the right’s translucent blues—a balance Jenkins achieved by pouring pigments at different viscosities in sequence.

Color: Stratified Light

The print reveals Jenkins’ layering process: opaque reds were applied first, followed by increasingly transparent glazes of blue and white. This stratification creates an optical illusion where the white vein seems to float above the surface, a effect Jenkins called “chromatic perspective.” The original painting’s edges show deliberate drips—traces of the tilting process—that are faithfully reproduced in this framed print.

Displaying Phenomena Tibetan Flange: A Curator’s Approach

This print’s restrained palette and vertical format make it surprisingly versatile. In modern interiors, position it above a low console in a hallway where its 30×40 cm dimensions (12×16”) can anchor a narrow space. The crimson and ultramarine tones pair exceptionally well with warm terracotta walls or cool gray textiles—avoid competing with busy patterns. For a zen-inspired setting, mount it in a room with natural wood elements; the white “flange” will echo the grain of light oak or ash. Jenkins himself favored displaying his works in natural light, where the layered acrylics reveal subtle shifts throughout the day.

More Works by Paul Jenkins

Explore Jenkins’ evolving relationship with fluid dynamics through these key pieces from the same era.

Paul Jenkins

Phenomena High Octane

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Paul Jenkins

Side Of St George

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Paul Jenkins

Phenomena Sherman Vortex

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Paul Jenkins

Phenomena Tarot Over

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