Region 45s 0e

Creative Rationale

Over the Southern Ocean at 45 degrees south latitude on the Prime Meridian, fierce westerly winds of over 20 meters per second drive through this remote oceanic expanse in the "Roaring Forties." The cold 4.3K temperature with low pressure of 992.3 Pa creates a stark, turbulent atmosphere that I interpret through Joan Mitchell's gestural language of memory and sensation. The strong westerly wind becomes elongated diagonal brushstrokes sweeping across the canvas, while the cold temperature calls for her winter palette of steely blues and grays, punctuated by brief warm flashes that suggest the emotional intensity she brought to even the coldest landscapes of memory.