Cross Fire — Fine Art

Cross Fire - 1981 opens with narrow colour bands that stack from top to bottom. The stripes shift in width and the dark bands hold the weight near the centre. Empty space stays small between the bands. Gene Davis built these stripe paintings with hard edges and flat colour.

The fine art print sits on a wall with light from a side lamp. A light frame on a dark wall keeps the bands clear. A dark frame on a pale wall lets the pale bands stand out. The paper is matte, so the colour bands do not shine under a lamp.

It hangs on the stairwell wall where the steps turn. From the landing you see the stacked bands across the wall. The eye moves down the stripes one by one. The dark bands catch the light first.