Jay DeFeo, La Brea, 1984-85

An abstract painting titled La Brea created with oil and tape on canvas by artist Jay DeFeo in 1984-84. Set against a ground of black and charcoal paint, a central riot of frenetic brushstrokes is built up from many vibrant colors, including tangerine, cobalt blue, Aegean teal, cherry red, seafoam green, and bright white. The colors overlap in curved strokes, some showing through others, some dripping on top. One gets the sense of something obscured, and many other colors lurking behind the scrim of the charcoal background.