Harold Town (1924-1990) remains one of the best-known and most intriguing artists from the "Painters Eleven" group.

Town's reputation was established in the late 1950s with a series of mysterious unique prints ("Single Autographic Prints") that included collage elements. In 1956, he represented Canada at the Venice Biennale with these works. Over the following decades, the artist continued to reinvent his aesthetic, regularly changing medium and mood, alternating between periods of pure abstraction and figuration.

This work, from the last chapter of his career, is exemplary of his practice. It is both gestural and spontaneous, notably the stylized ink grass along the lower part of the composition. Yet the central element, outlined in ink, is evocative of his drawings from the 1960's, which contains an elaborate structure with warm mini-ombré sections. Finally there is the elaborate spring-like pastel background, which recalls Gershon Iskowitz's highly abstracted landscapes.

This work is a confident and impressive reminder of Town's mastery and innovation in abstraction.

Today, Town's work is represented in prestigious collections across North America including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), and the Guggenheim (New York).

Condition: very good