Glass Form

William Baziotes stated that his compositions evolved from "a myriad of lines" or "a profusion of color,” which he manipulated until the painting revealed itself. While his subjects may seem elusive, there are recurring forms in his work, including variations on circular shapes. While he was reluctant to label it overtly, Baziotes was willing to acknowledge the circle’s archetypal associations to eye, target, or female sexuality. Glass Form also suggests organic, cellular life, and the watercolor’s title evokes a surface that could be transparent or reflective. In the late 1940s Baziotes painted several works that explored his fascination with the dual nature implied by the mirror. He wrote in an essay entitled “The Artist and his Mirror,” “To me a mirror is something mysterious, it is evocative of strangeness and otherworldliness.”

Mary E. Murray