Seven Types of Ambiguity, 1957 — Fine Art

Seven Types of Ambiguity, 1957- lays out open colour shapes across the surface. The title points to several possible readings at once. Helen Frankenthaler built much of her soak stain painting practice on thin washes that sink into the ground. The marks here stay open and leave gaps between them.

The fine art print comes ready to hang. A white frame gives the picture a clear edge on the wall. The white edge keeps the stain work from feeling pushed to the edge of the frame. You see the wet edge of each band before it fades out.

This works on a kitchen wall above the sink where the morning light falls on the upper part first. From the counter you read the big open shapes, and from the table you notice the thinner lines between them.