Week #35, Lacquer Ink IV

Dusti Bongé, Untitled (Blue, Yellow and Purple Abstract)), 1988, mixed media on paper, 13” x 10”.

In contrast to last week’s heavy, dark work, this week’s lacquer ink work by Dusti Bongé has a much less viscous and much more fluid quality. However, in either case the approach is similar in that Dusti allows the ink to go where it wants without trying to control its flow.

In this particular piece three main vertical bands of color, purple, blue and yellow, form the basis of the whole, with the blue at the center being twice as wide as the other two colors flanking it. The blue in turn is interrupted by an amorphous flow of a much lighter gray form that sort of bisects the overall design. A thin red stroke accents the edge between the purple and blue while a red dash punctuates a black pool in the lower right quadrant.

What is remarkable in this work is that it shows a very sensitive interaction between the black lacquer ink and the watercolors, where the ink is allowed to bleed out in feather weight lines into the pools of water encroaching upon it. As such, the presence of the blackness of the ink is much less prominent and overpowering and much more  subtle. 

Although there are several focal points or concentrations of black, most of the ink swirls in extremely delicate patterns spreading out through the blue, purple and pale gray. The yellow stroke at the right is the only area where the ink has not penetrated. 

How Dusti managed to create such a free flowing marbleizing effect while achieving a completely balanced composition is astounding.