Eye of Zengai - Sam Francis

A 1973 abstract work by Sam Francis, featuring gestural primary colours arranged around a vast, open white centre.

Eye of Zengai, produced in 1973, represents the mature period of Sam Francis. During this phase, the artist moved away from the all-over compositions of his earlier work, favouring instead a structure where colour is pushed to the edges of the canvas. This leaves a vast, open expanse of white space in the centre, which functions as an active element rather than a void. The white ground is not merely a background but a physical presence that interacts with the surrounding pigments.

The composition features fluid, gestural marks in primary colours: blue, red, and yellow, alongside black and green accents. These lines and drips suggest a sense of movement, echoing the artist's interest in the spontaneity of ink-wash painting. The title references Zengai Gibon, the Japanese Zen monk and painter. This connection is evident in the economy of the marks and the deliberate balance between the painted areas and the unpainted surface. Francis spent significant time in Japan, and his work often reflects an engagement with Eastern aesthetics, particularly the concept of 'ma', or the space between objects.

Technically, the work demonstrates the artist's mastery of acrylic paint, which he applied with varying viscosity to achieve different effects, from thin washes to thick, pooled droplets. The edges of the canvas act as a frame for the internal energy of the paint, which appears to be receding or expanding simultaneously. This print captures the texture of the original application, preserving the subtle variations in colour density and the crispness of the drips. It is a study in spatial tension, where the interaction of light and pigment creates a sense of openness. The work remains a clear example of how Francis utilised the physical properties of paint to explore themes of light and space, moving beyond traditional representational forms.