Bougainvillea

Mediums: oil, canvas.
Location: The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Washington University (St. Louis, the USA).

Bougainvillaea is a genus of evergreens in South America, characterized by lush flowering. Despite the fact that this painting was created in the same year when the artist committed suicide, it is distinguished by unusually bright, pure colours and improves one’s mood. The painting technique used in this work echoes the paintings of Abstract Expressionists who used abstract colour spots to fill the entire surface of the canvas. To convey his emotions, Paalen used the technique of spontaneous expression in painting, without using lines, and applying paints to the canvas quickly and expressively.