Elizabeth Murray "The Lowdown"

This work by Elizabeth Murray plays with issues of balance. The vivid, contrasting colors and the jumble of organic and rectilinear shapes of various sizes create a sense of precarious balance. The lopsided rectangular shape of the overall composition also suggests that the pieces in this work may be on the brink of shifting or falling. At the same time, these bits of wood and painted canvas are not haphazard, but are unified by a certain sense of harmony. The linear pieces at the edges seem to hold the work together, and the repetition of colors and forms (such as the circles) brings the work into a kind of unexpected unity and balance. I like this work's playfulness and brightness.